COURT ADJOURNS KWARA MONARCH’S ALLEGED KILLERS’ CASE
Judge Umar Zikir of the Kwara State High Court, presiding over a session held in Ilorin, has scheduled the proper arraignment of fourteen individuals charged with the February 2024 murder of Oba Aremu Olusegun Cole, the Onikoro of Koro town in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, for July 30, 2024.
In addition, it was claimed that during an attack, the accused abducted two other people as well as Olori Iyabo Aremu Cole, the late senior military officer’s wife.
The State High Court filed charges against the defendants on three counts of kidnapping, conspiracy, and culpable homicide.
The accused persons are Godwin Jacob, Olofela Oyebanji, Adefolalu Ayodele, Tewasie Francis, Babatunde Samuel, Godwin Joseph, Issa Mumee, Miracle Solomon, Abraham Kehinde, Muhammed Bello, Muhammed Muhammed, Ahmadu Umaru, Muhammed Dankai, and Saliu Murtala, while others are at large.
The suspects were charged with the murder of Oba Cole and the abduction of his wife, according to the charges submitted to the court and signed by Muhammad Akande, the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution.
According to the allegations, the accused sought N100 million in ransom to free the people they had kidnapped; nevertheless, N12 million was eventually paid.
In his submission, Akande told the court that the accused people’s offenses are capital in nature, necessitating legal counsel for them.
He noted that if any of them want legal assistance, the public defender’s office will offer its services at no cost to them.
In his ruling, the trial judge, Justice Umar Zikir, retained bail initially granted to two of the accused persons and ordered the remand of the remaining accused persons at a correctional centre till the adjourned date.