27th May, 2015
Yusuf Mohammed
For allegedly lying to the police, Oba of Ojokoroland in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, Rilwan Oluwalambe Taiwo and three others have been charged before the Ikeja High Court.
The Ojokoro monarch and his accomplices were charged with a four-count charge of making false accusation and disturbing public peace.
Those arraigned with him were Chief Musibau Balogun, Chief Ishola Okoosi and Prince Ademola Ogunlami.
In the charge sheet, the monarch and his accomplices were accused of causing to be published in The Punch newspaper of 29 August 2012 false allegation that one Chief Adisa Agbaosi and others dumped a decomposing body on his farm. This led to the arrest and prosecution of Chief Lateef Osho for murder.
The family of Chief Lateef Osho later wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police through the X-squad, Ikeja denying the allegation.
Oba Taiwo and three others were invited and after a thorough investigation by the police, the allegation was found to be false.
The monarch and his accomplices were arrested for giving wrong information and the case file was forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) which directed their prosecution.
Count one of the charge read: “That you, Oba Oluwalambe Taiwo, Chief Musibau Balogun, Chief Ishola Okoosi and Prince Ademola Odunlami on or about the 29 August, 2012 at the premises of the Punch newspaper, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Ikeja Judicial Division conspired and published in the Punch newspaper of Wednesday, August 29, 2012 a statement that Chief Gafaar Arowolo, Agbaosi and others, dumped cadavers on your farm thereby resulting in the prosecution of Chief Lateef Osho for murder, an offence contrary to Section 95 (i) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
When the case was mentioned, counsel to the defendants complained that they were not served copies of the charge sheet and Justice Jose adjourned the case till June for service to the respondents.