Police Arraign Osun High Chief, Three Others Over Alleged Damage Of Farm Land, Tractors Worth Over 1Billion

A 82-year-old Ijebujesa High Chief, Chief Faseru Dele has been dragged before an Osun state Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo by the police in the state over alleged malicious damage of farm settlement and threatening to life.

Arraigned alongside with the Octogenarian were three other suspects. They are; Chief Mrs Ayoade Funke 64, Ayoade Adewoye 35 and Isaac Wole Ejalonibu 41. They were charged on a four-count charge bothering on conspiracy, felony to wit arson, malicious damage and threat to life.

The prosecutor Inspector Adebayo Joseph told the court that the suspects and others who are currently at large conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit arson, malicious damage and threatening to life on February 19, 2017 at Ijebu-Ijesa, Ori-Ade Local Government Area of the state.

Adebayo further alleged that the suspects  willfully and unlawfully set ablaze a farm settlement and  ravaged all the farm produce such as palm trees, plantains and others crops belonging to (Rtd) Major Lawrence Loye.

Other valuables allegedly destroyed by the suspects according to the Prosecutor were one complete building with 24 lecture rooms, transformer 500/33KVA, Tractor (Messy Fegureon), 720 bags of cements, caterpillars pail loader, 12, 800 Plantain/Banana Stands and Over 8000 Pineapple stands and entrance Gates.

He said the total value of the damaged properties worth one billion and fifty nine million naira, #1,059,000:00k

Adebayo however accused the suspects of intimidating and threatening to kill the Rtd Major. He alleged that the suspects were chanting war songs with sticks, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

The offence according to the Prosecutor was contrary to and punishable under Section 516, 443, 451and 86(1)(2) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. 11 Laws of Osun state of Nigeria 2002.

But the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the allegations levelled against them.

The defense counsel Mrs. Dada Adeyinka applied for the bail of the accused persons in the most liberal terms.

Adeyinka who assured the court that the suspects would not jump bail if granted said reliable sureties would stand for them.

But the Police Prosecutor objected the bail application on the grounds that the suspects have a similar case at an Ilesa Magistrates court.

He argued that if the suspects are granted bail, they are likely to commit another offence. He also urged the court to put into consideration the money involved in the case

In her ruling, Magistrate Mrs. Olubukola Awodele, granted all the four accused persons bail in the sum of one million naira each with two sureties in the like sum.

Awodele explained that she granted the accused bail due to the age of the first and second accused persons.

She thereby adjourned the case till January 31, 2018 for mention at the Ijebu Ijesha Chief Magistrate Court.