Magistrate Babajide Ilo of the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Agbara, Ogun State, has ordered the remand of a man, Ajose Adekunle, over alleged murder, Punch Newspaper reports.
Adekunle was alleged to have terrorised landowners in Ikogbo and Imose communities, in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The police prosecutor, A. O. Fadipe, alleged that the defendant and others at large killed a resident, Matthew Opaleye, with a machete and destroyed a moulding machine and blocks valued at N3.5m.
Fadipe identified the suspected accomplices as Ibraheem Bello, Rasaki Odunoye, Taofik Ajose, Azeez Amodu, Sunday Dada, Soliu Odunoye, Mukaila Aliu, Abdulganiyu Adeleke, Amidu Seidu, Mutiu Bello, Solomon Aliya, Sodiq Anishere and Shakiru Sunday.
Adekunle was arraigned before the court on seven counts bordering on murder, conspiracy to murder, and unlawful possession of firearms.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges read in part, “That you, Ajose Issac Adekunle, a.k.a Baba Isila, and others still at large, sometime on or before 23rd of September, 2021, at Ikogbo town, in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, in the Agbara Magisterial District, did unlawfully conspire to commit felony, to wit: attempted murder and murder, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.”
“That you, Ajose Isaac Adekunle, a.k.a Baba Isila, and others at large, on the above-mentioned date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully destroy and damage by vandalising Ikogbo Police Station, and destroying all the police property in the station, which value is not yet estimated, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.”
Following the not-guilty plea of the defendant, the magistrate ordered his remand in the Ilaro Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the state attorney-general.
He adjourned the matter till March 17, 2022, for mention.
