Traditional Ruler Docked for Land Theft in Oke Ogun

The Amunijio of Ijio, Iwajowa Local government, Okeho, Oyo state, Oba Okunade Adegoke has been brought before Okeho Chief magistrate court for allegations bothering on threat of lives, destruction of family business and forcibly encroaching on the landed property belonging to another family with fully armed thugs 

The accused, was arraigned on four counts charges including: threatening of live, destroying locust beans trees, forcibly entering on the land belonging to Akinlotanfamily with and fully armed thugs with the intention of forcefully taking it over and harassing them

The principal state counsel who is also the prosecutor for complaint Barrister Akibu Akintola told the court that the accused with others at large on 29th of March 2016 at about 15:34hours at Ijio in Okeho Ma‎gisterial District sent life threatening message to one Barrister Shittu Azeez

Akintola  said, on January  Oba Okunade did willfully and unlawfully damage locust Beans trees, oil palm trees and shea-butter trees valued at N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira), properly of Akinlotan famliy

He recounted that Oba Adegoke forcefully enter on the landed property belonging to ‎Akinlotan family of Aluba Compound Ijio and on 7th of July 2016 the same Magisterial District did fully armed thugs in order to prevent Barrister shittu Azeez and two police officer from leaving the town

The prosecutor said the offence is contrary to punishable under section 323 of criminal Code Cap. 38 Vol II, Laws of Oyo state, ‎under Section 451 of the criminal Code Cap. 38 Vol II, Laws of Oyo state, under section 81, Criminal Code Cap. 38, Vol.11 and section 249(1)(d) of the Criminal Code Cap.38 Vol II laws of Oyo state 

However, the counsel to the defendants Barrister Olufemi Akintomiwa‎ who was represented by Barrister Olakunle Afolabi prayed the court to give his team more time to go and prepare for the case 

Olakunle neither oppose the application nor objected for substitute but consented with the court to give good time for preparation 

Also Oba Adegoke who was present in court expressed surprise at the four count charges noting that he was only aware of a single count charge wondering where and how they got the additional three allegations against him

He said: "I am surprise at the four count charge against me. Earlier the count charge was one I don't know where they got another three that they added to it" 

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Adams Jimoh Adesina however adjourned the case till January 24 2017 informing the parties to come to court with their five witnesses each.