FG Arraigns Osun Monarch, Four Others over Alleged Illegal Gold Mining

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The federal government, yesterday, arraigned a traditional ruler in Osun State, Oba Taofeeq Olaposi Osunmakinde, and four others before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

Osunmakinde, the Obawore of Ifetuntun in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State, and his co-defendants were arraigned by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on a two-count charge bordering on alleged illegal gold mining.

The other defendants were Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim, and Ade Olap Global Resources Limited.

They were specifically accused of conspiring with others at large on August 25, 2024, to engage in the illegal mining of gold at the Ogunlepo mining site in Lege community, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2004 and punishable under Section 1(8) of the same Act.

They were also alleged to have undertaken gold mining on August 25 without lawful authority, contrary to Section 1(8) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and punishable under the same Act.

However, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them.

Counsel to the AGF, Toluwalope Ojo, thereafter, asked the court for a date to commence trial.

Although Ojo did not object to the bail of the accused persons, he requested the court to compel them to deposit their international passports with the court.

Counsel to the defendants, Vincent Ododo, who moved consolidated bail applications for his clients, pleaded with Justice Nwite to admit them to bail on various grounds.

Part of the grounds he cited was that the first defendant was a well-known traditional ruler and that the charges against them did not carry capital punishment. Ododo assured that the defendants would not fail to appear in court for trial.

In a brief ruling, Nwite admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N20 million each with one surety in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be residents of Abuja with ownership of landed properties and must produce a three-year tax clearance certificate.

In addition, Nwite ordered that the defendants must deposit their international passports along with three copies of each of their recent passport photographs with Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.

Pending the perfection of their bail conditions, the judge ordered that the defendants be taken to Kuje prison on remand.