Owoeye Alleged Kidnapping: Trial Of Suspects Shifts To High Court

By Aishat Oyebamiji

Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara of an Osogbo magistrate court has granted the application of the state government to arraign the suspects alleged of kidnapping and defrauding the Majority Leader of Osun House of Assembly,  Honourable Timothy Owoeye at the Federal High Court, Osogbo.

The state counsel, Mr. Moses Faremi prayed the court to grant the adjournment for the prosecution to take the suspects to the appropriate court.

Faremi said the charge against the suspects is an advance level of criminal case and it would not sound well if they were discharged and allowed to be roaming around streets.

He submitted that they are urging the honourable court to grant their prayer, because he believes that justice is in three folds, one for the complainant, the second is for the accused persons and the third is for the society at large.

The defense counsel, Mr. Kazeem Badmus prayed the court to strike out the charge against the accused persons in order for the accused persons to stand their trial from their various houses.

He added that the accused persons were not arraigned at the appropriate court and since the prosecution is charging them to a different court, the charges ought to be struck out.

However, the magistrate, Mr. Olusegun Ayilara granted the prayer of the state counsel; he added that striking out the charges is not in the interest of the suspects, especially as attempts have been made on their lives before.

Olusegun stressed that there had been serious issues from the case of the accused persons, on two occasions, where he had to escape from his chamber because of the commotion in the court premises.

On another occasion, he recalled that the security of the court had to be beefed up because of the case and the life of the accused persons.

“It is of this reasons that I would not strike out the charges, I would take my strength from section 236(3) of the criminal procedures laws of Osun state Nigeria, 2003 to remand the suspects in prison, whether the case was is by me or not, until they are arraigned in the appropriate court, he said.

“Therefore the application for striking out the case is refused and the application for adjournment is hereby granted. The accused persons are to be remanded in prison custody till the adjourn date”.

He later adjourned the case till November 7, 2018 for mention.