The Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, has ordered the remand of two of the five suspects alleged to have beaten and lynched a 25-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Temitope Olorunfemi, to death in a correctional facility.
The Court, however, granted bail to three other suspects involved in the beating to death of Olorunfemi who was accused to have crushed two people to death and injuring four others along Ijoka road, Akure.
In the charge numbered MAK/136c/2023, the accused persons and others at large were alleged to have committed the offense on April 10, 2023, at about 9:00 am when they stoned, beat, and lynched the deceased.
According to the police, the offenses contravene Sections 324, 316(1), and 451(6)(J) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 2, Laws of Ondo.
The suspects, who were arraigned on a three-count charge of felony, murder, and arson, were accused of killing the deceased, suspected to be an internet fraudster popularly known as ‘Yahoo Boy,” after the accident.
The two suspects remanded to correctional centre include Victor Amos, 30, and Pelumi Farotimi, 42, while Boboye Ismaila, Nurudeen Kumuteyi, and Samuel Olatunji, were granted bail to the tune of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The two accused remanded were ordered to remain at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the issuance of legal advice by the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
According to the Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, the sureties must have landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
While tendering a medical report before the court, the Prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, disclosed that the death of the deceased was caused by a severe head injury suffered from a mob attack, urging the court to throw away the counter-affidavits of the defense counsels.
In his ruling, Magistrate Al-Yunus said that there were probable causes to remand the two suspects, who were the first and third defendants and subsequently adjourned the case until August 8, 2023.
It will be recalled that Olorunfemi was lynched to death by angry mob after his vehicle crushed two persons to death, injuring six others on Easter Monday.
The mob allegedly stoned him to death alleging that he was trying to escape from the scene while some fetish items were allegedly found in his vehicle.
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