A mild drama ensued at the premises of the Bayelsa State Judiciary Complex, Yenagoa, where suspected celebrity kidnapper, John Ike Lyon, and his accomplice, Emmanuel Angase, were arraigned on a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony, kidnapping and armed robbery.
After pleading not guilty to the 14-count charge before Justice Ineikad Eradiri of Bayelsa State High Court 6, the suspects demanded to speak to the press when they were about to be ushered into the waiting police van, stating that they were being threatened at the police custody.
The suspects then refused to enter the police Hilux van, insisting that they be taken to the Yenagoa Prisons as ordered by the presiding judge.
They were, however, forced into the police van by the policemen when their counsel told them that their prison remand order has not yet been signed by the judge.
John Lyon started crying and protesting that his health condition in the police custody was deteriorating.
Earlier, the suspects while taking their plea before Justice Eradiri pleaded not guilty to all the 14-count charge.
According to the count read out by the court clerk, John Lyon Ike, Emmanuel Charles Angase and others at large were charged on four counts of “conspiracy to commit felony contrary to section 444 sub (a) of the criminal code law, Cap (C) Laws of Bayelsa State, 2006.
They were also charged on eight counts of “kidnapping contrary to Section 2 sub (1) of the Kidnapping and Other Offences Laws of Bayelsa State 2013,” and a further two counts of armed robbery, contrary to Section 329 sub (2 ) of the criminal code law, cap ‘C’ of Bayelsa State, 2006.”
The prosecution counsel led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Apulu Iyabosa, made an oral application that the accused persons be remanded at the Yenagoa Prisons.
The trial judge, Justice Eradiri granted the request of the prosecution counsel and ordered that the accused be remanded at the prison custody.