Five Arraigned For Lynching 25-Year-Old Man In Ondo
Five culprits have been arraigned for lynching a 25-year-old Uber driver, identified as Temitope Olorunfemi.
The suspects, 30-year-old Victor Amos, 32-year-old Ismalia, 42-year-old Pelumi Farotimi, 22-year-old Nurudeen Kumuyi, and 23-year-old Samuel Olatunji, were arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate Courton a three-count charge bordering on felony, unlawful murder, and arson.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, said the accused persons and others at large committed the offense on April 10, 2023, at about 9.00 pm, opposite Odopo Town Hall, along Ijoka Road, Akure.
He informed the Court that the suspects conspired to commit a felony and unlawful murder of the deceased.
The suspects, who labeled the victim a Yahoo boy, were alleged to have murdered the deceased in cold blood with sticks, stones, and other offensive weapons and maliciously damaged one Toyota Camry car with number plate KRD 627 GY, by setting it ablaze.
He said the offences contravene Sections 324, 316(1), and 451(6)(J) of the Criminals Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Ondo State.
The Court did not take the pleas of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.
However, the Prosecutor, through a written application, urged the Court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the issuance of advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The defence counsel, led by O. Agbede, asked the Court for an adjournment to enable each defendant to file a counter-affidavit to the application sought by the Prosecutor.
Chief Magistrate Musa Al-Yunus granted the requests of the defence lawyers and adjourned the case till April 27 for a reply to the affidavit and ruling.
He ordered that the defendants should remain in Police custody till the next date of adjournment.
It would be recalled that on April 10, 2023, the deceased, Temitope Olorunfemi, was lynched to death by an irate mob for reckless driving that led to the death of four persons.
