An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded three men in prison over the alleged murder of a former Ogun TV Broadcaster, Kitan Oyesiku and her guard, Pelumi Adetayo.
The defendants are Olajunwon Sodeinde, the principal suspect, Sobu Obafunsho and Shakirudeen Ayoola.
Chief Magistrate, Miss O.T. Odubanjo, granted the order after ruling on an ex parte application filed by the police.
The Police Legal Officer, Mr. Saheed Abiodun told the court that the application, dated July 6, sought a 60-day remand pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.
Abiodun said that the application was brought under Section 306 of the Ogun State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
He said that the application was supported by a 24-paragraph affidavit deposed by the Homicide Section, State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran.
The police legal officer added that 17 exhibits and a written address accompanied the application.
He urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.
Odubanjo, however, granted the application and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Oba Correctional Centre for 60 days pending legal advice from the state DPP.
She adjourned the case until Sept. 10, for mention.
Also Read: Police arrest three over murder of former broadcaster
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the late broadcaster, a retired staff member of the Ogun State Television, Ms. Oyesiku and her guard, Adetayo, were found lifeless in a pool of their blood at her Agodo residence last June
Police commenced an investigation after residents raised an alarm over suspicious activities at the deceased’s residence.
Detectives who visited the scene reportedly discovered signs of forced entry and disturbance. Adetayo’s body was found at the security post, while Oyesiku’s corpse was later discovered inside the house. Her Lexus RX330 vehicle, initially reported missing, was subsequently recovered during the investigation.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni said investigators made a breakthrough after recovering a note inside the stolen vehicle, which was subjected to forensic analysis, leading to the arrest of the prime suspect.
According to the CP, the prime suspect, Sodeinde Olajuwon Philip, 22, was arrested on June 24 at a construction site in Ibara, Abeokuta, where he was working as a laborer.
Further investigations led to the arrest of two other suspects: Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola, 27, a security guard, and Sobu Obafunsho, 36, a bricklayer.
Ojajuni said Philip allegedly confessed to coordinating the attack because of grievances he had with Oyesiku while working as her security guard, claiming the murder was intended to “teach her a lesson.”
The police further alleged that the suspects overpowered Adetayo before using him to gain access to Oyesiku’s residence, where both victims were allegedly killed.
The stolen Lexus RX330 was later recovered through intelligence-led and technical tracking operations in the Onikolobo area of Ogun State.
The police also recovered exhibits, including a broken hammer, a cutlass, a plank and a black pen, from locations linked to the suspects.
NAN
