Magistrate Withdraws from Oluwo’s Suit After Assailants Threatened to Kill Him

• Oluwo Oke Withdraws Suit
• Iwo Tradition Council Storms Court, Begs Magistrate

By Segun Ojo

Twenty-four hours after some assailants threatened to kill Magistrate Olusola Aluko who is handling the suit filed by the Oluwo-Oke of Iwo Oke in Osun State, Oba Kadiri Adeoye against the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, the magistrate has withdrawn from the case and sent it back to the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Mr Lawrence O. Arojo.

Magistrate Aluko withdrew from the matter on Friday at the resumed hearing of the case in Osogbo, the State Capital.

According to Aluko, he withdrew from the suit to uphold the sanctity and integrity of the judiciary.

He said: “Having looked at matters bordering on this case and alleged to be bias on this matter, I need not to make any pronouncement on the case”.

“I have to adjourn this case and submit the case file to the office of the state Chief Registrar which will assign another magistrate to handle the matter.”

Consequently, Aluko withdrew from the suit and transferred it back to the Chief Registrar office.

It would be recalled that the Chief Registrar had on Wednesday reported to the Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo and the police a case of threat to life by some assailants who threatened to kill Aluko and his family members if he failed to withdraw from the matter.

Earlier, Mr Soji Oyetayo, counsel to Oba Adeoye had presented to the court, a letter of withdrawal informing the court of the resolve of the plaintiff to discontinue the case against Oluwo.

Presenting the letter Oyetayo said: “Several eminent personalities within and outside the state have intervened in the matter and in the interest of peace, we decide to withdraw this case.

“In view of this, we seek your authority to withdraw this application.”

Also, counsel to the Oluwo, Chief Laide Yekinni told the court that the traditional ruler has retracted his earlier comments on the order made by the magistrate compelling the Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye to produce Oba Akanbi.

Reacting to the Magistrate Aluko’s order, the traditional ruler had said: “It is a shame on judiciary to have such magistrate sitting”.

An array of traditional rulers from Iwo region led by the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama had earlier pleaded with the court to forgive the Oluwo of any disrespectful action or comment on the judiciary.

Oba Makama while pleading with the court stated that “the Oluwo of Iwo at any time did not ridicule the integrity and order of a court of competent jurisdiction or meant to disregard the law.”The Chairman, Iwo Traditional Council explained that Oba Akanbi was “absent in court due to some health challenges and could not as a custodian of culture, norms and values prove to be above the law of the land.”

Magistrate Olusola Aluko who said his pronouncement was not aimed at disrespecting the traditional institution said handling of the case was subject to constitutional provisions.

He, therefore, adjourned the case till the 15th of February, 2016

The Oluwo of Iwo Oke had filed a suit before the court on issues related to crime and internet fraud allegedly committed by the Oluwo of Iwo.