An Iyaganku Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Ibadan has arraigned a lawyer, Olusegun Abayomi and Ayo Adepoju on a five count-charge of felony to wit, malicious damage, threatening violence and land grabbing.
One of the charges read: “The accused persons, Ayo Adepoju, Olusegun Abayomi and others now at large, sometimes in December, 2017, at Ayegun/Oleyo Road, Ibadan, in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit, malicious damage, forcible entry, threatening violence and land grabbing.”
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Ojeh, told the court that the defendants willfully and unlawfully damaged a perimeter fence of valued at two million naira (N2,000,000) property of one Emmanuel Adetola King of Adron Homes and Properties Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. II Laws if Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
Emmanuel Ojeh also told the court that “the accused persons and others, now at large, in the aforementioned Magisterial District caused breach of peace and did enter into a land in actual and peaceable possession of one Emmanuel Adetola King of Adron Homes and Properties Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 81 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
He also told the court that the accused persons used and threatened to use further violence for the purpose of grabbing the land for themselves, which is punishable under Section 7 (1) of the Real Property Protection Law of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2016.
The accused persons, Ayo Adepoju and Olusegun Abayomi pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
In their arguments, counsels to the accused persons Barrister Adekola Kareem and Barrister Aborisade in their efforts to secure bail for the defendants, argued that the second defendant, Olusegun Abayomi did not at any time ‘jump bail’ as claimed by the prosecution counsel.
Barrister Salaw Waheed and Kehinde Olawumi, who represented the complainant, explained that the second defendant, Abayomi at the police Criminal investigation Department in Abuja disappeared when he heard that the matter would be referred to court without the knowledge of the police officer in charge of the case, Inspector Julius Monday.
The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Idowu, ruled that the first defendant, Ayo Adepoju, be admitted to bail in the sum of N1,000,000 with two sureties, who must be gainfully employed and also provide verifiable addresses to the police, while the second defendant, Olusegun Abayomi, a lawyer was granted bail on self recognition.
Other conditions attached to Olusegun’s bail included the deposit of his university law degree and call to bar certificate. The case has been adjourned till September 5th, 2019.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
