A pastor identified as Samuel Alade-Emin, has been remanded by an Ondo State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, over his alleged involvement in the death of his church member’s son, Olasupo Abiona.
It was gathered that Abiona who went missing for seven days sometime in August 2022, was later found in the pastor’s custody at Alagbado village, in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
Pastor Emin was arrested and arraigned before the court on two-count bothering on deprivation of liberty and murder, after Abiona died at an undisclosed hospital after being given a poisonous substance to consume by the cleric.
Police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the defendant unlawfully detained Abiona, who was the son of one of the elders in the church, against his will.
Akintimehin also disclosed that the defendant allegedly administered a substance suspected to be poisonous to the deceased which made him vomit blood and died, an offence which contravened Sections 365 and 316(5) of the Criminal Law of Ondo State, 2006.
The police prosecutor further asked the court to keep the defendant who pleaded not guilty, at the correctional centre pending the outcome of advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions.
Counsel to the defendant, A. Motunrayo however asked the court to grant her client bail in the most liberal terms, insisting that he was innocent.
The Chief Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, ordered the remand of the defendant at the correctional centre pending the advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions.
He adjourned the case till February 9, 2023.
