Court Remands Two For Allegedly Defrauding Osun Lawmaker, Owoeye

The Son of Olosunjela of Osunjela Ijesa, Oba Muhammed Babatunde, Olakunle Taofeek Muhammed, was on Wednesday remanded in prison by an Osogbo Magistrates Court for allegedly defrauding the majority leader of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Timothy Owoeye to the tune of 38 million naira.

The presiding magistrate, Segun Ayilara ordered the suspects to be kept behind the bar, pending his ruling over jurisdictional issue in entertaining the charges.

Ramanded alongside was the in-law of the monarch, Rasheed Bakare, who is the husband of Dr Idayat Bakare, an Exco member of APC that defected to ADP.

The duo were arraigned before the Magistrate Court over Advance Fraud Related Case.

Olakunle, a Commissioner II in the Osun State Local Government Service Commission was arraigned alongside Rasheed Bakare, also an In-law to the monarch.

Police Prosecutor, Solomon Idoko who brought the accused to the court pleaded that the court should take the plea of the suspect for the police to proceed with the trial of the case.

Idoko told the court that the charges are related to the alleged criminal conspiracy and obtaining by false presence case involving the Osun State House of Assembly Leader, Hon Timothy Owoeye currently before the court.

However, Counsel to the suspect, M A Shitu opposed entertaining the charges by the magistrate court for lack of jurisdiction. He described the charges brought by the police to the magistrate court which is criminal in nature as an abuse of court process having understood that is it only higher court that can entertain such matter and urged the court to dismiss the charges in its entirety.

The Presiding Magistrate, Segun Ayilara reserved ruling over jurisdictional issue in entertaining the charges and ordered that the two suspect be remanded in police custody pending determination.

He adjourned the case till Friday, October 12, 2018 for further hearing.

Meanwhile, the court has adjourned the trail of Kazeem Agbabiaka, Femi Oyebode, AbdulRasheed Ojonla Babatunde Oluajo Adebiyi Kehinde, Oseni Oyebanji Oyeniyi Ismaila Azeez, and Awodunmola Kehinde till October 24, 2018 for mentioning.

Kazeem and others were alleged to have obtained by force and pretense, the sum of N38 Million from the Osun State House of Assembly majority leader, Hon Timothy Owoeye between the month of April and July 2018 at Oluajo area in Osogbo.

They were also accused of intent to defraud Owoeye under the pretends of organising spiritual for him to avert death and hereby committed an offense against section 1 (1) (A) (B) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Free Fraud and other related Offences Act, 2006.

According to the charge sheet, the accused were armed with dangerous weapon like guns UTC axe and cutlass to rob Owoeye there by committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1 (2)(a) of the robbery and fit arm special provisions act 2004.

Counsel to the accused, Badmus Kazeem urged the court not to take plea of the accused for lack of jurisdiction and urged the court to considered the bail application taking into congnisance the liberty of the suspect who have been in prison custody for over a month.

Mosses Faremi, Chief State Counsel, from state ministry of justice had earlier sought the leave of the court to take over the case from the police which was granted by the court.

Presiding Magistrate Segun Ayilara in his ruling adjourned the case till October 24 and ordered that the suspect should be remanded in prison custody pending.