Court Remands Five for Allegedly Lynching Suspected Internet Fraudster in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State’s capital, yesterday remanded five persons suspected to have lynched a 35-year-old suspected internet fraudster, late Mr. Temitope Olorunfemi, in police custody.

The suspects, Mr. Victor Amos, 30; Ismalia, 32; Pelumi Farotimi, 42; Nurudeen Kumuyi, 22 and Samuel Olatunji, 23, were arraigned on three counts of felony, unlawful murder and arson.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the accused conspired to commit felony and unlawful murder of the deceased, Olorunfemi, who was wrongly accused to be “a suspected yahoo boy.”

Akintimehin explained that the accused persons and others at large committed the offence on April 10, 2023, at about 9.00 p.m., opposite Odopo Town Hall, along Ijoka Road, in Akure.

He told the court that the accused also maliciously damaged one Toyota Camry car with registration number plate KRD 627 GY, by setting it ablaze.

According to the charge, with Number MAK/136c/2023, the offences committed by the suspects contravened Sections 324, 316(1) and 451(6) (J) of the Criminals Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Ondo State.

The prosecutor, through a written application, urged the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the issuance of advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Meanwhile, the court did not take the pleas of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.

The defence team led by O. Agbede, in their separate responses, prayed for an adjournment to enable each defendant file counter affidavit to the application sought by the prosecutor.

The Chief Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, granted the requests of the defence lawyers and adjourned the case till April 27, for reply to the affidavit and ruling.

He ordered that the defendants should still remain in the police. He adjourned the case till April 27, 2023 for the response to the affidavit and ruling.