EKITI COURT DISCHARGES FOUR ACCUSED OF MURDER, ROBBERY
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On Tuesday, the Ado Ekiti Division of the Ekiti State High Court cleared and released four individuals who were accused of conspiring, killing, and armed robbery.
The defendants, Abdulahi Oladepo (30), Momolosho Olanrewaju (27), Jimoh Azeez (29), and Ibrahim Adebisi (29), were charged with three counts of conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery on March 24, 2023, at their arraignment before Justice Jubril Aladejana.
The charge stated as follows: “The defendants did conspire to commit murder by killing Ajayi Shola and robbing him on June 28, 22, at Ido Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government of Ekiti State.”
According to the accusation, “the offenses are against Sections 244 and 233 and are punishable under Sections 244 and also Section 312 (2)(b) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.”
“After asking some of our neighbors where my brother was, I was told they saw him with the defendants in the afternoon. I went to their (defendants’) individual houses, including the wives’, but they denied knowing anything about his movement since they departed,” the deceased brother’s brother concluded his statement to the police.
The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, questioned seven witnesses and submitted the defendants’ testimony and Ajayi Shola’s photos as documents in order to support his case.
Through their individual attorneys, Opeyemi Ogunremi, J.S. Balogun, and Adeyinka Opaleke, the defendants presented their case. They did not summon any witnesses.
In the judgment, Justice Jubril Aladejana said, “In this case, there is nothing to show that any of the defendants caused the death of Ajayi Shola or anyone or any of them had intentions to cause grievous bodily harm to him or anyone else.
“In my view, this case as presented by counsels to the defendants is a case of a missing person where suspicion and conjecture are the basis for charging the defendants to court. The law is clear, that a court of law will not convict a defendant on the basis of mere suspicion.
“With all these gaps in the case against the defendants, I am satisfied that the prosecution has not proved conspiracy, armed robbery or murder against any of the accused persons.
“The four defendants are each not found guilty of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder. Each of them is hereby discharged and acquitted,” the judge pronounced.
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