MICHAEL AKINOLA
A man, Oloba Maroof Afolayan, has landed in trouble in Kwara State after he secretly took his bosom friend, Mustapha Balogun, to his village to perform some rituals and Balogun died in the process of performing the rites.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Afolayan has been arrested and charged in Ilorin, Kwara State, for murder over his alleged involvement in the death of the deceased friend.
He has been charged before the Ilorin Magistrate Court for allegedly causing the death of his friend, Mustapha Balogun, before the Presiding Magistrate, Monisola Kamson.
The alleged offences included criminal conspiracy, false impersonation and culpable homicide contrary to Section 97, 179 and 221 of the Penal Code Law.
Trouble started for Afolayan after the late friend’s wife, Mustapha Halimat, received a call that her husband fell at his workplace and was subsequently rushed to the hospital.
However, when she went to the hospital to see her husband, she discovered that her husband was brought into the hospital dead and she reported her findings to the Police, who moved into action.
The Police investigation led to the arrest of the defendant (Afolayan), who reportedly travelled down to Samora, his hometown, with the deceased to perform family ritual rites.
According to the Police, the deceased, who was Afolayan’s friend, was sick and vomited but the defendant allegedly failed to take him to a nearby hospital for treatment nor report the incident at a Police station. The defendant allegedly brought the deceased down to a private hospital in Ilorin from his hometown but was pronounced dead on arrival.
But he lied to his wife that he fell down at his shop and was taken to the hospital, which has landed him in trouble as he is facing murder charge, which attracts life imprisonment.
The prosecutor, Abdullah Sanni, urged the Court to order the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility considering the gravity of the alleged offence, which is not ordinarily bailable to enable the DPP to give legal advice on the matter.
The Magistrate, Monisola Kamson, who presided over the matter, granted the application and ordered Afolayan’s remand in the Oke Kura Correctional facility.
The matter was adjourned till 1st March, 2024, for the report of the DPP’s legal advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.