By Abimbola Ogunnaike
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Mr Saka Afunso, on Tuesday, 6 June, 2023 ordered the remand of a former Speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly, Dele Olugbemi, and one Tajero Adebayo in the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre over cases involving fraud and attempted murder.
Olugbemi, 48, and Adebayo, 42, whose addresses were not given, are facing a four-count of conspiracy, fraud, attempted murder and threat of violence.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Caleb Leramo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Friday, 24 February, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. and on Wednesday, 31 May, 2023 at 10:30 p.m. in Ado-Ekiti.
Leramo said the defendants threatened violence against and attempted to murder one Chief Ogunyemi Aluko and another person.
He quoted Aluko as saying in his statement to the police that one of the defendants threatened him by saying, “I am a factional leader of Oodua People’s Congress in Ekiti State.”
“Hon. Olugbemi collected a sum of N400,000 from me under the pretence of recruiting 80 members of my group into Western Security Network, code-named ‘Amotekun’ at N5,000 per member, but none of them was shortlisted into the corps.
“When I requested a refund of my money, he started using his former office to threaten to deal with me.
“On May 31, he came to my house at 10:30 p.m. with four boys who were armed with guns, cutlasses and broken bottles.
“I was beaten mercilessly, and I sustained injuries to my head before I narrowly escaped from the scene,” the victim’s statement read.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Sections 421, 329(1)(a), 241(a), and 46 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti, 2021, just as he prayed the court to remand the defendants to a correctional centre, pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
The pleas of the defendants were, however, not taken.
The Chief Magistrate, Afunso, ordered the remand of the defendants in the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre, pending the issuance of legal advice.
He, thereafter, adjourned the case till July 3 for further hearing.
