A Magistrate Court sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, remanded nine close associates of immediate past state Chairman of Parks Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxillary, for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearms.
They were also accused of attacking, maiming and dispossessing people of their valuables, which ran into millions of naira in Ibadan.
The police had declared Auxillary wanted following the invasion of his hideout, where 78 hoodlums were arrested while guns and other dangerous weapons were recovered.
The suspects are, Olaniyi Abiodun, Kamoru Yusuf, Odunayo Ismaika, Kolawole Joshua, Oladosun Kunle, Fatai Abidemi, Oluwoke Akanbi, Sarafadeen Adewale and Tirimisiyu Odunayo.
They were arraigned on 16 counts at Magistrate Court, Iyaganku, Ibadan but they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The defence counsel, Barrister J. D. Olaniyan, argued that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
He, thereby, prayed the court to remand the suspects at Agodi Correctional Centre, pending the time that the case would be assigned to a competent court of law for hearing.
Olaniyan further argued that “The Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the case with the nature of the charges, which range from attempted murder to armed robbery. I, therefore, pray the court to remand them at Agodi Correctional Centre for accessibility and convenience. This will make it easier for their counsel to prepare their defence as well as their bail application.”
In his ruling, Magistrate S.H. Adebisi said the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, adding that the charges range from conspiracy, armed robbery, to attempted murder, which is a capital offence.
He, therefore, ordered them to be remanded in prison and subsequently adjourned the case till July 26, 2023
