Court remands kingmaker, ten others in prison for harassing Osun monarch

An Osun State magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo on Monday remanded the  Kingmaker of Edunabon, a town in Ife North Local Government Council Area of the state in prison custody for allegedly harassing the town’s monarch.

The kingmaker Chief Olatidoye Oyedokun was arraigned in the company of ten other accused persons including a traditional chief of the town, Chief Odebode Elijah.

Other accused persons are Gbenga Olasunbo, Oladeji Yunusa, Abiodun Ogunwede, Ige Lawrence, Emmanuel Adisa, Babalola Bisi, Bello Olalekan, Ramoni Oyetoro and Adegbami Kehinde.

The accused persons were said to have disrupted the peace of the town during which the palace was burnt down and the traditional ruler, Oba Olatunde Oladepo, the Salu of Edunabon and many people in the town were harassed and injured.

The state prosecuting Counsels, Dele Akintayo and Bankole Awoyemi told the court that the accused persons on 19th of December, 2018 at the palace of Salu of Edunabon conducted themselves in a manner that caused a breach of peace. Counsel to Oba Oladepo, Abdul-Fatai Abdul-Salaam said the actions of the accused persons amount to impunity and that the victims of the attack demand justice.

He said the state Ministry of Justice has confirmed that the appointment of Oba Oladepo as Salu of Edunabon followed due process and was in line with the custom and tradition of Edunabon.

The accused persons, who were arraigned on 51 counts, pleaded not guilty to the level of the offence against them. Defence counsel, Susan Olubunmi while applying for their bail, told the court that they would not jump bail if admitted.

The Presiding Magistrate,  Riskat Olayemi denied the bail application and remanded the accused persons in prison. She adjourned the case till November 14, 2019.