Court Grants Osun Prince, One Other Bail Over Alleged Fraud

By Deborah Akinpelu, Osogbo

A Magistrate court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state capital, presided over by Mr Olusegun Ayilara has granted Olakunle Muhammed, the Son of Olosunjela of Osunjele Ijesa, Oba Muhammed Babatunde, bail of one Million naira for allegedly defrauding the majority leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye to the tune of 38 million naira.

Rasheed Bakare, who is the husband of Dr Idayat Bakare, an Exco member of APC that defected to ADP and an in-law of the monarch, who was arraigned alongside Olakunle was also granted bail in the like sum.

The duo were arraigned before the Magistrate Court over Advance Fraud Related Case last week Wednesday and had been in prison custody since then.

The State counsel, Barrister Moses Faremi had told the court last Wednesday, “that the accused persons between the months of April and July 2018, obtained a sum of #38 million naira from Hon Timothy Owoeye with the pretence of organising spiritual prayer to avert his death revelation which you know to be false”.

He further alleged that the suspects collected the money with intent to defraud, Owoeye.

Faremi added that the accused persons also stole N38m belonging to Owoeye which contravened sections 390(9), 480 and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

While in court today, the counsel to the accused persons, Barrister Ajibade Shittu, prayed the court to grant his clients who had pleaded not guilty to the charges, bail in the most liberal terms.

In his ruling, Magistrate Ayilara granted the accused persons bail of N1m each with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till November 9 for further hearing.