A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Oke-Eda, Akure, the Ondo State capital, has ordered the remand of a security man, Jimoh Abdullahi, in prison custody over alleged killing of one Oreoluwa Kayode.
The accused person was arrested by men of the Ondo State Police Command in connection with the death of Kayode penultimate week.
Kayode’s lifeless body was found in a septic tank at Ita Olugbogbo in Ondo town.
Kayode, who was described as a notorious thug in the community, was allegedly fond of extorting money from the land owners in the community.
On the fateful day, the deceased, in company with two members of his gang, was said to have allegedly gone to extort money on the land Abdullahi was guarding.
It was gathered that Abdullahi reportedly prevented the thugs from operating on the land which led to a fight between them.
A source said they were allegedly struggling to collect a locally-made gun from the security guard when the trigger of the gun was pulled and the shot hit him.
He died on the spot.
The accused person was arraigned on one count of murder.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
Abdullahi’s plea was not taken after the charge was read to him.
The prosecutor, Mr Suleiman Abdullateef, told the court that the complainant and the deceased’s family had brought a petition to withdraw the case.
The court, however, rejected the application for withdrawal.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs Victoria Bob-Manuel, said since the case had already been brought before the court, it had to follow the due process.
She said the complainant and the deceased’s family could approach the High Court if they wanted the case withdrawn.
She ordered the remand of the accused person in prison custody pending the issuance of the legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The magistrate also ordered the prosecutor to submit both the original and the duplicate case files to the court clerk for quick dispensation and adjourned the case till April 11, 2019.