Court Orders The Arrest Of Ekiti State APC Chairman on Murder Charges

Court Orders The Arrest Of  Ekiti State APC Chairman on Murder Charges

A High Court in Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti State has issued a warrant for the arrest of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jide Awe, on charges of murder.

Awe, and three others, namely Faboro John Ojo, Aniramu Basiru and Falayi Busuyi have been accused of being responsible for the murder of Ayo Jeje and Juliana Adewumi In Erinjiyan-Ekiti, on March 30, 2013, Premium Times reports.

Justice E. B. Omotoso of the Ijero-Ekiti High Court ruled in favour of the prayer of Counsel to the State Government, Yakubu Dauda, who asked the court to invoke Section 94 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law to compel the appearances of the accused person before the court.

“Consequently, I hereby invoke the provisions of Section 94 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ekiti State by ordering that Bench Warrants be issued against the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants to compel their appearances before this court at the next day of adjournment and subsequently to stand for their trial.

Consequently, this matter is hereby adjourned till 5th of October, 2016 for hearing,” Justice Omotoso ruled.

Reacting to the ruling, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, said “the court order will be served on the police with immediate effect, hoping that it will be complied with strictly”.

In a letter dated July 8, 2016 and copied to the Attorney General of the Federation, National Human Rights Commission and the State Commissioner of Police, Owoseni Ajayi had decried the refusal of the police to arrest the accused persons despite several requests.

“The Ekiti State has requested the Nigeria Police, Ekiti State Command to effect the arrests of these culprits but instead of effecting the arrests, the Police has refused and/or neglected to effect the arrests on the ground that such arrests should not be made except with the approval of the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja,” the Attorney General said.