TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
THREE residents of Osun State have been remanded in prison custody by an Osogbo Magistrate’s court for allegedly robbing a Senator representing Osun West Senatorial District, Adelere Adeyemi Oriolowo, of his belongings.
The defendants, Muslim Saheed, Kazeem Ganiyu and Olaleye Olawale, were slammed with a charge of armed robbery and were said to have participated in the looting spree witnessed in the state recently.
Police prosecutor, ASP Idoko John, told the court on Tuesday that the defendants and others, now at large, committed the offence on October 24, 2020 at about 7:00pm at Senator Oriolowo’s Farm and Residence in Iwo.
John alleged that the defendants did conspire among themselves to commit a felony to wit: armed robbery.
He said they armed themselves with cutlasses, iron rods, sticks and other dangerous weapons before carrying out the alleged robbery.
According to the prosecutor, they carted away six plasma television sets, mattresses, kitchen utensils, agro allied materials and chemicals, valued at N2million.
They also stole clothes, cable network decoders, deep freezer, milk processing machine, tiling machine and other valuables. All these items were said to have belonged to the Senate member.
John argued that the alleged offences were contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) and section 1(1)(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provisions) Act Cap R|| Vol.14, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
But the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges slammed against them by the police.
Addressing the court, their counsel, I.T Tewogbade, objected to the charges, claiming that the police already tendered another case of stealing against his clients at another Magistrate Court.
Chief Magistrate M.A Awodele, in his ruling, transfered the case to Iwo Magistrate Court and ordered the trio be remanded.
Awodele adjourned the matter till November 4 for hearing.
