A Magistrates’ Court in Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Friday, May 5, ordered the remand of nine suspects for allegedly beating a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Okoli Ahize, to death.
The 500-level student of the Department of Civil Engineering, was beaten to death by a mob at the Awolowo Hall of Residence in OAU after being accused of stealing a mobile phone.
The police prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Abdullahi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 10, 2023, at about 8:00 pm at OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He gave the names of the suspects as Badiora Timilehin, 22; Adegoke Francis, 23; Atilade Adeniyi, 22; Adeyeni Ajibola, 22; Olayiwola Adewumi, 21; Adisa Olamilekan, 24; Igbinyemi Amos, 22; Osode Joshua, 23; and Philip Kayode, 24.
Abdullahi said the defendants conspired among themselves to commit offences to which contravened Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.
He told the court that the defendants and others now at large unlawfully beat Ahize to death with sticks, stones, and iron rods.
The plea of the defendants were not taken on two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, though Messrs Olamide Oladunni and A.R. Abdullateef announced their appearances for them.
The Magistrate, Kike Adebayo, asked the prosecutor to duplicate their case files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Adebayo ordered that the defendants be remanded at Ile-Ife correctional centre.
The Magistrate, therefore, adjourned the case until June 9, 2023, for mention.
