Ondo State Government on Friday brought a four-count charge against the four suspected killers of Olufunke Olakunri, daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, a prominent member of Afenifere, at an Akure Magistrates Court.
Olufunke was killed last year while travelling to Lagos State by armed men between Kajola and Ore axis of Ondo-Ore road, Ondo State.
Police said manhunt had begun for other members of the eight-man gang led by one Tambaya.
The four suspects were last week handed over to the Ondo State government for prosecution. At their first arraignment on Friday, the suspects, Mohammed Shehu, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu, Awalu Abubakar and Adamu Adamu pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. They were not represented by any lawyer.
Besides the murder of Olufunke, the suspects were also charged for the murder of one Ogunbiyi Matthew in count III. They were alleged to have killed Matthew on the same day Olufunke was killed.
They were arraigned on four-count charges bordering on felony, conspiracy to murder and kidnapping. The offences are punishable under sections 516, 316 of the Criminal Code Vap 37 Vol I Laws of Ondo State 2006 and section 3 (ii) of the Ondo State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Abduction law, 2010. Reading the charges to the defendants which was interpreted to them in Hausa language, the magistrate said:
“That Mohammed Shehu Isan, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire together to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 Of Criminal Code, Cap 37; Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State 2006.
“That Mohammed Shehu Isan, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/Ijebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did murder one Olufunke Olakunrin (Nee Fasoranti) ‘f’ aged 58-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That Mohammed Shehu Isan, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12‘“ day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did murder one Ogunbiyi Matthew ‘m’ aged 65-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal code, Cap36, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
An official of FSARs, Akeem Ogunjobi, had earlier prayed the court to remand the four defendants at the correctional facility in Owo, as the facility in Akure had been over stretched.
In her ruling, the Presiding, Magistrate Victoria Bob -Manuel, granted the prayers of the prosecuting counsel to remand the accused at the Owo facility center and their samples to be tested before being remanded at the center.
She said she lacked jurisdiction to hear the case as only the state High Court has powers to attend to such case.
She remanded the suspects at the Owo Correctional Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution. (The Nation)
