The Chief Magistrate Court 1 Makurdi, presided over by Vincent Kor, has ordered that three accused persons be remanded in Makurdi correctional centre for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

Kelvin Jibo, Joseph Edet and David Abur had been charged with the death of a 200 level student, Veronica Takor, who was found dead in a hotel room in Makurdi on March 20.

In the First Information Report (FIR) read before the court , police prosecutor, Inspector Bem Kange, said on March 19, 2022, one Sarah Takor reported to the police that her daughter, 26-year-old Veronica Takor, had gone missing at her shop where she was selling second hand clothing materials.

However, on March 20, 2022, one Kelvin Jibo came to their house in the morning with Veronica’s hand set and key, saying that she was unconscious at Madona Guest House where she was later found dead.

Kange said Jibo was arrested and investigation led to the arrest of two more suspects while the fourth suspect, Sunday Iforobong, was still at large.

No plea was taken because of lack of jurisdiction, and the Chief Magistrate, Vincent Kor, adjourned the case to June 9, 2022 and ordered that the three accused persons be remanded in the Makurdi Correctional Centre for further mention.

Counsel to Veronica’s family, Barrister Solomon Torluam, holding the brief for Barrister Justine Gbagir, said the autopsy report was ready and they were ready to go ahead with the trial.

A family member, Beetseh Terhide Mark, who spoke with The Nation, said while Veronica Takor was dead and nothing more could be done about it, the family wants justice to be done to serve as a deterrent to others who might think that they can take people’s lives without a consequence.