UNABLE to produce witnesses in court, the Osun State Police have lost a case of money ritual it slammed on two men – Friday Michael, 23; and Tiamiyu Jelili, 31.
The Point had reported that the Police accused the duo of attempting to use a commercial sex worker for money ritual.
An Osogbo Magistrate’s Court in the state on Wednesday, struck out the case and discharged the defendants for the failure of the Police to prosecute diligently.
The duo were arraigned by the Osun State Police Command on September 23, 2020 and accused of visiting a brothel in Osogbo, where they had sexual intercourse with the sex worker.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, had informed the court that the accused persons used a red piece of cloth tied with charms to clean their victim’s private part after having carnal knowledge of her.
According to Kayode, the two men were going to use the lady’s ‘discharge’ for money ritual.
He said the defendants had conducted themselves in manner likely to cause breach of peace by going from one brothel to another in search of women to use for money ritual.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendants committed the offence on July 21, 2020, at about 9:20pm, at Balogun Agoro area, Osogbo.
He had added that the complainant (commercial sex worker) had been lying critically ill at the hospital since the incident.
The accused persons were said to have committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516, 213, 509 and Section 249(D) of the Criminal Code CAP 34 Vol. 11 Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
They pleaded not guilty to the four count-charge of felony to wit; money ritual, possession of charms and an attempt to use a lady for money ritual.
Magistrate Opeyemi Badmus had ordered the remand of Michael and Jelili at the Ilesa Correctional Center and adjourned till August 13 for hearing.
Since August, the police prosecution has refused to open the case for hearing. When the matter was mentioned on Wednesday, Inspector Kayode told the Court that the Investigative Police Officer was not around.
Kayode also said that none of the whitenesses could make it to the court. The case had been adjourned for more than three times at the instance of the prosecution.
Displeased by this development, Badmus struck out the case for want of diligent prosecution.
