Amunijo of Ijio arraigned at Okeho, case adjourned till January 24

A traditional ruler, the Amunijo of Ijio in Iwajowa Local Government Area, Okeho, in Oyo State, Oba Gabriel Okunade Adegoke, has been arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on threat to lives, destruction of family business and forcibly encroaching on the landed property belonging to another family with fully armed thugs.

Oba Adegoke was arraigned in a charge signed on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions by the principal state counsel, Akibu Akintola, before the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Okeho magisterial district, Okeho, in a suit delineated MOKH/51c.

Part of the counts read, “that you Oba Gabriel Okunade Adegoke ‘M’ the Amunijo of Ijio, on the 29th March at about 15:34hours at Ijio in Okeho Magisterial District, did send a threat text message to one Barrister Shittu Azeezoff and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 323 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria.

“That you Oba Gabriel Okunade Adegoke ‘M’ the Amunijo of Ijio around January 2016, in Ijio, in Okeho Magisterial District, did wilfully and lawfully damaged locust bean tress, oil palm trees, shea butter trees valued at N10,000,000.00, property of Akinlotan family of Alabata compound, Ijio and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 415 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol 11, Laws of Oyo State, Nigeria.”

He was further alleged of being culpable of forcibly entering the land belonging to Akinlotan family with fully armed thugs with the intention of forcefully taking it over.

The prosecutor, Akibu Akintola, told the court that Oba Adegoke forcefully entered on the landed property belonging to Akinlotan family of Aluba Compound, Ijio.

However, counsel to the defendants. Olufemi Akintomiwa, who was represented by Olakunle Afolabi, prayed the court to give his team more time to prepare for the case.

Oba Adegoke, who was present in court, expressed surprise at the four-count charges, noting that he was only aware of a single count charge wondering where and how they got the additional three allegations against him.

“I am surprised at the four-count charges levelled against me. Earlier, the count charge was one, I don’t know where they got the other three they added,” Oba Adegoke stated.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Adams Jimoh Adesina, adjourned the matter till January 24, 2017 informing the parties to come to court with all their witnesses.