Osun Monarch, Four Others Docked For Allegedly Burning Palace, Robbery
A traditional ruler in Osun State, Elegbedi of Egbedi, Egbedore local government, Oba Muideen Azeez on Wednesday appeared before a High Court sitting in Ede over alleged robbery and setting a palace ablaze.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges contained in the suit filed HED/02c/2024 between the state and the defendants.
The charges listed include robbery, threat to life, arson, illegal possession, forceful entry, destruction of farm produce, conduct likely and malicious destruction.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants committed the offences between September 2019 and May 2022 at Opeoluwa Integrated Farming Resources Limited Aloba via Ede in the State.
The offences contravened sections 402, 403A, 443, 2(1), 249(1) of the State Criminal Law 2002.
The defendants, the prosecuting counsel, Dele Akintayo disclosed, set ablaze the palace of Oloba of Iloba, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, robbed one Wasilatu Akiola of 70kegs of palm oil, goats and farm produce, as well as destroy 127acres of farm produce belonging of Opeoluwa integrated farming Resources.
One of the witnesses, Abiodun Oladapo while being led in examination by a State Counsel, Dele Akintayo, told the court that the defendants have run aground the farming activities of his company, Opeoluwa Integrated Farming Resources which covers about 127 acres of land in four different locations in the area valued N200million.
He added that their nefarious activities have made the company go bankrupt having lost the sum of N200million due to their destructive actions on the farm.
In his oral bail application, counsel to the defendants, Bukola Atobatele, prayed the court to allow the defendants to continue to enjoy bail conditions granted at a Magistrate court sitting in the state but the move was opposed by State counsel.
Justice Akano upheld the prosecuting counsel’s submission on the ground that the particulars of the case before the magistrate court were different from the one before him.
The judge then adjourned the matter till July 4, 2024, for ruling bail application.
