By Our Correspondent in Ilorin
A Magistrate’s court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara state on Thursday ordered the remand of Akinola Babatunde (35),alias Agoro at the state CID, Ilorin for his alleged role in an attack that led to the death of three persons in Odo-Owo, Oke Ero Local Government Area of Kwara state.
Akinola, who hails from Arin-Rin compound in Odo Owa was arraigned before Magistrate Olaolu M Abayomi on a three-count-charge of criminal conspiracy, mischief and rioting as well as armed with deadly weapon in addition to being found in possession of criminal charms, among others.
The Reporters recalls that a clash broke out when some suspected thugs allegedly lunched an attack while celebrating egungun festival in the area in 2019.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused, alongside with nine others, have been on-the-run since 2019 after the attack on Odo Owa and its neighboring communities, the development made the police to place him on wanted list.
Luck, however, ran out on him on the August 24, 2020 when he was arrested by police operatives attached to the Divisional Police headquarters, Oke Ero in Kwara state and subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department(CID), Ilorin for discreet investigation.
During the investigation,it was discovered that the accused was on the police wanted list for the alleged role he actively played in a criminal case along with one Oguntoye Bayo and eight others.
Bayo and the other accused are standing trial before the High Court, Ilorin, for alleged riotous action in Odo Owa and its neighboring communities between March 31, 2020 and April 1,2020 which led to the death of two persons: Emmanuel Akinola and Sunday Olukosi.
The online media also gathered that the third person, Olasunkanmi Agboola, later died while receiving medical attention over the injuries he sustained during the attack.
Discreet investigation conducted by the police also revealed that Babatunde Akinola, A.K.A Agoro, actively took part in the riot and had been on the run since then until luck ran against him, leading to his arrest.
The prosecution counsel, Sgt. Isa Amotekun, filed an application motion ex-parte requesting the defendant to be remanded at the Federal Correctional Service, Ilorin, pending the outcome of the ongoing police investigation in the case.
The application was accompanied by an 11-paragrah affidavit, deposed to by one Sgt. Muhammed Kamaldeen of the state CID, filed on September 10, 2020.
Amotejun,who said that the case file had been sent to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice, urged the court to grant his application.
The Defence counsels: O.M Odeh and Adelokun Adeoye, urged the court to admit the suspect to bail with a call for speedy determination of the matter, claiming the defendant had stayed too long in police detention.
In his ruling, Magistrate Abayomi said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.
He, therefore,granted the application of the prosecution counsel, ordered the remand of the accused at the state CID and adjourned the matter till October 8, 2020 for mention.
