BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Two siblings, Akeem Oroleye and Mustapha Oroleye, have been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court in Osun State for alleged abduction and assault.
The Zone XI Police Command, Osogbo, dragged the duo to court and accused them of abducting a farmer,identified as Chinedu Ezeoke, after assaulting him on the farm.
Akeem, aged 34 and his elder brother, Mustapha, aged 60, were said to have conspired with others at large, in Ode-Omu, Aiyedade Local Government Area of the state, to forcefully enter the farm, attack Ezeoke with gun and kidnap him for seven hours before releasing him.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Saheed Anifowoshe, informed the court that the victim was hospitalised after his ordeals but the counsel to the defendants, O. Jimoh, debunked it, saying the farmer was hale and hearty.
Anifowoshe said, “Akeem and Mustapha and others now at large on the 29th April, 2023 at about 11:00am to 6:00pm, at Koiwo off Edunabon Road, Ode-omu, Osun State, in the Gbongan Magisterial District, abducted one Chinedu Ezeoke at his place of work to their own desired place where they forced him to sign an undertaking at gun point and kept him from 11:00 am till 6:00 pm before they released him and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 361 of the Criminal Code Cap.34 Vol.II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
Other counts slammed against the defendants read, “That you Oroleye Akeem, Oroleye Mustapha and others,now at large, on the same date, time and in aforementioned place in the aforementioned Magisterial District,did assault one Chinedu Ezeoke by compelling him to sign an undertaking at gun point and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 367 of the Criminal Code Cap.34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You did enter by violence into the landed property of Adebayo Mathew and Chief Mrs. Felicia Blessing Oluwatosin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of the State of Osun forceful entry and illegal occupant of landed properties (prohibition) Law, 2019.”
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the offences. Their lawyer urged the court to grant them bail in most liberal terms and said they had reliable people to stand as their sureties.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara granted the siblings bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. Ayilara said either of the sureties must be a state civil servant or house owner and must be ready to submit their title documents to the court.
The matter was adjourned till July 18 for mention.
