Monarch Son, In-law, Arraigned For Fraud

 

• Alleged Fraudsters Of Osun Assembly Majority Leader Returned To Prison

By Kehinde Ayantunji

Olakunle Muhammed, Son of Olosunjela of Osunjele Ijesa, Oba Muhammed Babatunde was on Wednesday arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court over Advance Fraud Related Case.

The arraignment was in connection with the duping of Osun House of Assembly Majority Leader, Timothy Owoeye

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 court pleaded that the court should take the plea of the suspects 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 money by false pretence case involving the lawmaker currently before the court.

However, Counsel to the suspect, M. A. Shittu opposed entertaining the matter by the magistrate court for lack of jurisdiction.  He described the charges brought by the police to the court which is criminal in nature as an abuse of court process having understood that it is 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 suspects be remanded in police custody pending determination.

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

Meanwhile, the court has adjourned the trial of Kazeem Agbabiaka, Femi Oyebode,  Abdulrasheed Ojonla Babatunde Oluajo Adebiyi Kehinde,  Oseni Oyebanji Oyeniyi Ismaila Azeez, and  Awodunmola Kehinde till October  24, 2018 for ruling on substitution of charges.

Kazeem and others were alleged to have obtained by false pretence, the sum of N38 Million from Hon. Owoeye between the month of April and July 2018 at Oluajo area Osogbo.

They were also accused  of intent to defraud Owoeye under the pretence of organising  spiritual cleansing 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 fire 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 consider the bail application taking into cognizance the liberty of the suspects who have been in prison custody for over a month.

Moses 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 Olusegun Ayilara in his ruling adjourned the case till October 24 and ordered that the suspects should be remanded in prison custody pending the day.