An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo has ordered that the six accused persons arraigned by the police in connection with the March 8 clash at the Sabo area of Ile-Ife be remanded in prison custody pending the commencement of the hearing of the case.

Justice Kudirat Akano gave the order on Friday when the accused persons: Oba Ademola Ademiluyi, Pastor Taiwo Fakuajo, Akeem Eluwole, Bamidele Elurisanmi, Jimoh Sakiru and Daniel Olanrewaju were brought before her.

The judge, however, did not state the prison where the accused persons would be remanded.

The accused persons were charged with 14 counts of murder; armed robbery, arson and conspiracy among others.

The prosecutor told the court that the accused persons murdered 46 persons, injured 92 persons, robbed some persons and burnt some properties including vehicles, shops and houses during the fracas.

The police prosecutor told the court that the accused persons killed some of the victims with guns, strangulated others and injured some with machetes and broken bottles.

According to the prosecutor, count 2, which is murder, is contrary to Section 316, Sub section (1) and punishable under Section 319, sub section ( 1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34. Vol II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The 14 counts were read to the accused persons in both English and Yoruba and they all pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them one after the other.

Based on their plea of non guilty, the counsel for the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Simon Lough, made two oral applications before the court that the accused persons should be remanded in prison custody and he also applied for a date to commence the hearing.

The lead counsel for the accused persons, Mr. Muritala Agboola, raised objections to the two applications made by the prosecutor.

Agboola made an oral application for the leave of the court to apply for the oral application for the bail of the accused persons. He argued that the accused persons had been incarcerated for so long.

He said that the accused persons were presumed innocent until the contrary was proved. He also objected to the adjournment of the hearing to a further date.

He said, “We want to make an application that the accused persons should be released on bail. They are presumed innocent and they are entitled to bail by the virtue of Section 118 of the Criminal Procedure Law.

“We are seeking the leave of the court to apply orally for their bail. On the application for a date, the prosecutor brought the accused persons to court and there is no need for the adjournment.”

The prosecutor said the objections raised by the defence counsel were highly misplaced. He also applied for the leave of the court to reply the defence counsel orally.

Justice Akano in her ruling granted the prosecutor’s application that the accused persons should be remanded in prison custody.

She ruled that the bail application of the defence counsel for the accused persons should be brought before her formally and adjourned hearing in the case to June 14.

Friday was the third time the accused persons would be brought to the court.

Five traditional rulers from Ile-Ife including the Olowaa of Elefon Ife, Oba Tajudeen Adebowale; family members and relatives of the accused persons were present in court in solidarity with them.

Copyright PUNCH.

An oba was even arrested..Oh lawd.

Imagine a country called naija

Nurrudeentunji:
An oba was even arrested..Oh lawd.

Yes...He is the great grandson of the Ooni before Aderemi.lol
i believe he is an oba in one of the greater ife towns.
A pastor is even among...lol.

Why is Elrufai not sentence to life imprisonment. I am Yoruba, I think we are stupid to allow this kind of thing happen.

salford:

Yes...He is the great grandson of the Ooni before Aderemi.lol
i believe he is an oba in one of the greater ife towns.
A pastor is even among...lol.

This is the base of the beef between oba akiolu and the ooni.
People tot he need to act more to protect his Immediate kingdom than visiting and hand shaking every where.

the collusion of oba and pastor , which kind oba they stain his hands directly, not through a proxy...


what about the other people involved??

We yoruba muslims don't see anything if these our brothers are hanged by the balls. Why should they challenge the hausa/fulani in Ile-Ife.

Who cares

na normal naa..