Four remanded in prison over abduction of Lagos monarch
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Four men, who allegedly kidnapped Oba Goriola Oseni, the
traditional ruler of Iba in Lagos State, were on Monday remanded in
prison custody by a Lagos High Court.
The accused – Duba Furejo, Ododomo Isaiah, Reuben Anthony
and Yerin Fresh – are standing trial before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a
Lagos High Court in Igbosere, Lagos on eight counts.
They are facing conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and kidnapping charges.
The 74-year-old monarch, who marked 40 years on the throne
on November 22, 2015, was abducted in his palace at Iba on July 16 at
about 8p.m.
Four days after the abduction, the kidnappers demanded N500m as ransom, which the family claimed they could not raise. Oba Goriola Oseni
The Prosecutor, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, who is the
Attorney-General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, told the
court that the accused committed the offences on July 16 at the oba’s
palace in Iba.
Kazeem, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said that the accused conspired with others at large and kidnapped the traditional ruler.
He also alleged that the accused murdered two people – a
palace guard, Sunday Okanlawon, and a commercial motorcyclist, Joseph
Okeke.
The prosecutor said that the accused also attempted to murder Abosede Oseni, wife of the oba.
He said that the accused were armed with guns and robbed the oba’s wife of her mobile phone.
Kazeem said that the offences contravened Sections 223, 230, 297, 299, 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Each of the accused persons denied the charges.
The attorney-general, however, urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody.
A defence counsel, Mr. Seliowei Baidu, represented the first, second and
third accused, while Mr J. O. Eguraoje, represented the fourth accused
in court.
The judge adjourned the case till November 4, 11 and 18 for trial.
Kazeem had in a statement on Sunday expressed the resolve of
the present administration to rid the state of all forms of
criminality.
“The swift commencement of trial of the accused in the
kidnap of the monarch is a strong signal by the administration of Gov.
Akinwunmi Ambode that the state does not have any room for criminals,”
he said.
Residents of Assakio Development Area in Lafia, Nasarawa State were thrown into confusion on Saturday following the sudden appearance of a strange cross five feet away from a central mosque in the community. The mysterious sighting attracted a mammoth crowd from Assakio and its environs with many praying for forgiveness and blessings. Our correspondent observed that the illuminated cross was projected on to the ground. A 15 year-old-girl, Hajara Hussaini, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said she first sighted the sign of a cross at about 8pm on Wednesday. Hussaini, who said she had been sent on an errand by her parents, explained that when she saw a strange light, she as gripped by fear and rushed back home to alert her mother, Matan Liman. Confirming the incident to journalists, Matan said she had sent her daughter to visit her grandmother. The middle-aged woman added that her daughter saw the crucifix while returning from the errand. The Chief Imam of Assakio ...
The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, has said the State Police command will provide adequate security across the seventeen local government areas of the State to ensure a smooth conduct of the local government election today. He stated that the Nigerian constitution guarantees that there must be adequate security during elections at the local councils because the people at the grassroots were involved. Oyebade who spoke during a press conference with senior Police officers in Umuahia, the State Capital, pointed out that the command had mapped out its operational plans to secure the State during and after the election. He explained that leaders of various political parties in the State have been briefed regarding the conduct of their candidates and the electorate on the election day. He said, “Every credible election must be well planned, because proper planning prevents poor performance. So those of us that are stakeholders in the State h...
The Federal Government on Thursday charged the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Ahmed Saleh, and two other employees of the apex court with nine counts, including diversion of N2.2bn belonging to the court. Saleh is among those shortlisted for final consideration by the National Judicial Council to succeed the outgoing Secretary of the council, Mr. Danladi Halilu. Saleh, alongside Muhammed Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal, are also accused of receiving gratifications totalling N74.4m from private contractors providing services to the Supreme Court between 2009 and 2016. When the date of their arraignment is fixed, the accused persons will be facing nine counts of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust by allegedly diverting N2.2bn belonging to the apex court and receiving gratification as public officers. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed the charges marked FCT/HC/CR/13/2016 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory High Court...
The 74-year-old monarch, who marked 40 years on the throne
on November 22, 2015, was abducted in his palace at Iba on July 16 at
about 8p.m.
Comments