16th August, 2016
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of four men for allegedly robbing and shooting to death, Mr Gideon Aremu, a member of Oyo State House of Assembly.
The defendants: Ayobami Adedeji, 23, Sodiq Adedeji, 20, Kareem Isiaka,43, and Adeniran Oladapo,31,were charged with murder and robbery.
The defendants did not take any plea, while the Chief Magistrate, Mr Taiwo Oladiran, ordered their remand at Agodi Prisons, as the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
He adjourned the case till Sept. 9 for mention, pending the outcome of the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The prosecutor, Cpl. James Oriola had told the court that the four accused persons conspired with others now at large to commit the acts of armed robbery and murder.
Oriola alleged that the crimes were committed on July 1 at about 9:16 p.m. at Alakia area, Ibadan.
He said that three of the accused- Adedeji, his brother, Sodiq, and Isiaka, armed with gun, robbed the late Aremu of his Samsung Galaxy Pam cell phone, valued at N220, 000 and killed him thereafter.
“The trio unlawfully caused the death of one Hon. Gideon Aremu, 41, a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, by shooting him with a gun,” Oriola said.
He added that the fourth accused, Oladapo, allegedly received the said stolen phone from Isiaka on July 2 at about 12 noon at Beere, Ibadan.
Oriola alleged that Oladapo was in the know that the cell phone must have been obtained through an act of robbery.
He said that the offences contravened Section 316 and punishable under Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Oriola also said that the offences are punishable under Section (1) (2) (a); Sections 5 and 6 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap RII Vol.14, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.