Court remands five for killing Ondo driver

The Ondo State Police Command has arraigned five persons before the state Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, over the death of a man, Temitope Olorunfemi.

Olorunfemi was lynched in the Ijoka Area of Akure after his Toyota Camry car crushed one person to death and injured many others on Easter Monday.

The vehicle was also set ablaze by the people who said they found some fetish items inside the car, fuelling speculation that he was an Internet fraudster popularly called ‘Yahoo boy.’

Men of the state police command subsequently arrested five persons in connection with the incident.

The defendants in the case as Victor Amos, 30, Ismaila, 32, Pelumi Farotimi, 42; Nurudeen Kumuyi, 22 and Samuel Olatunji, 23.

They were arraigned on three counts of felony, unlawful murder and arson.

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According to the prosecution, the defendants and others at large committed the offence on April 10, 2023, around 9am opposite Odopo Town Hall, along Ijoka Road, Akure.

The prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the accused conspired to commit felony and unlawful murder of the deceased.

He said alleged the deceased was murdered in cold blood with sticks, stones and other weapons.

He also told the court that the defendants as well, maliciously damaged one Toyota Camry car with number plate KRD 627 GY, by setting it ablaze.

According to the charge, the offences contravene Sections 324, 316(1) and 451(6)(J) of the Criminals Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Ondo State.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the issuance of advice from the office of the state Director of Public Prosecutions.

However, the defence counsel, O. Agbede, sought an adjournment to enable each defendant to file counter affidavits to the application sought by the prosecutor.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, granted the requests of the defence lawyers and ordered that the defendants should still be remanded in police custody.

He adjourned the case till April 27, 2023, for the response to the affidavit and ruling.