A 35-year-old man named Dickson Peter has been ordered to be held in a correctional facility by the Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan. He is accused of setting his landlord’s house on fire.
Charged with two counts of felony and arson by the police, Peter was not allowed to enter a plea by Magistrate Mr. M. Mudashiru due to jurisdictional constraints. The Magistrate ruled that he should be remanded in the Abolongo Correctional facility in Oyo Town pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP.
The case has been adjourned until July 23 for further proceedings.
During the court session, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Femi Oluwadare, alleged that on April 18 at about 12:30 a.m., Peter unlawfully set fire to his landlord Cepas Okeme’s house, resulting in damages estimated at N6.5 million. The fire also spread to the adjacent property owned by Bose Ali and caused property damage worth N3.5 million.
According to Oluwadare, Peter’s actions violate the provisions of section 443 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.