Suspected killers of army commandant arraigned, remanded in Agodi Prisons

Mrs. R.A. Ebeloku-Mustapha of the Oyo State Magistrate Court, sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Wednesday remanded the six suspected killers of the former Commandant, Command Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, Colonel Anthony Okeyim, in Agodi Prisons.

On Wednesday, Oyo State police, arraigned the suspects before Mrs. Ebeloku-Mustapha, who ordered them to be remanded in the prisons, pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Though, the court did not take the plea of the suspects. But the charges were only read to them and each of them were asked if they understood the charges which they affirmed to.

Okeyim’s lifeless body was found in the premises of the school on December 12, 2016. He was said to have been killed around 10p.m on December 11, last year in his house within the school premises.

The 2 Division of Nigerian Army, Ibadan, had arrested the six persons in connection with the murder, and handed them over to the police for prosecution.

The phone of the deceased, a Samsung X4, according to the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 2 Division, Colonel Timothy Antigha, was found in the possession of the first suspect, a 20-year-old Solomon Agada Emmanuel.

Other five suspects are Taiwo Adeniyi, 33(fondly called Ejima); Bibisoye Kehinde, 27 (fondly called Efrebor);  Ewere Andrew, 25;  Udobata Onusa-Uzi, 28(fondly called Kaka; and Ephraim Obi, 38.

The prosecuting police officer, Inspector Musiliu Fatola, presented a three-count charge against the accused.

The first count alleged that the suspects conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit robbery and murder on December 11, 2016 at about 10p.m at the school, which is located at Owode area of Apata, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Volume II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

The second, alleged that the suspects robbed the deceased commandant of his Samsung X4 phone, and thereby committed an offence while the third count preferred against the suspects stated that they unlawfully caused the death of Okeyim, 52, by throwing him from upstairs to the down floor, which led to his death, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

The court did not take the plea of the suspects. But the charges were only read to them and each of them were asked if they understood the charges, and their answers were in the affirmative.

Mrs  Ebeloku-Mustapha, thus, adjourned the case to March 28, this year.