60-Year Old Man In Police Net For Beating Up Traditional Ruler

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Olowokere, has been arrested and charged before a Magistrates Court sitting in Ilesa, Osun State, for allegedly assaulting a traditional ruler, Chief Olugbenga Ogunniyi, by pushing him off a motorcycle on November 15, 2022.

When the defendant was arraigned in Court, the prosecutor, Inspector Jimoh Musa, informed the Court that he committed the act at Odo-Ijesa community in the State, where they reside.

Inspector Musa said the defendant carried out the act alongside others now at large by fighting the victim with dangerous weapons, stealing his belongings and flogging him mercilessly over an undisclosed matter.

The prosecutor alleged the defendant to have stolen the sum of N140,000 and a phone valued at 180,000 including a wristwatch valued at N15,000, totalled N355,000 belonging to Ogunniyi after assaulting him.

However, Olowokere pleaded not guilty.

The defence counsel, Adedayo Oladija, made an oral application for his bail and urged the Court to make the bail conditions liberal because the defendant was a first offender and that constitution presumes him innocent until the Court says otherwise.

Musa did not object the oral bail application and said that the bail was at the Court’s discretion.

However, the Presiding Magistrate, Idowu Omoniyi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

The matter was adjourned till 18th January, 2023, for hearing while the defendant was remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.