An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court, on Friday remanded five men, Ademola Temitope, Obaleye Mayode, James Oluwafemi, Jamiu Idris and Ochim Godwin, at a correctional centre over an alleged murder.

Ademola Temitope, 20, Obaleye Mayode, 50; James Oluwafemi, 40; Jamiu Idris, 21 and Ochim Godwin, 23, are facing trial over the alleged murder of a resident, Oluwaseun Emeka.

The Prosecutor, Insp Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on July 27 at Ado-Ekiti.

Oriyomi said that the defendants and others now at large attacked and killed Emeka under the pretext that he was a thief and terror in the community.

Read Also: Court acquits Medical Doctor of cybercrime charges 

He said that the offence contravened Section 234 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Stephen Ademuagun, Mr Toyin Oluwole and Mr Sunday Balogun, prayed the court to grant their clients bail, and promised that they would not jump bail..

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, declined taking the defendants’ plea for want of jurisdiction.

He ordered that the case file should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice, and adjourned the case until Aug. 28 for mention.

(NAN)

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed cybercrime charges filed by the Inspector-General of Police against a female medical doctor, Bolanle Aseyan.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu discharged and acquitted Aseyan, stating that the police failed to prove the essential elements of the alleged offences.

The Inspector-General had arraigned Aseyan on a four-count charge of defamation, harassment, and intimidation against another doctor, Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya.

The police alleged that Aseyan used social media platforms to harm Ogunsanya’s reputation. He was said to be her former boyfriend.

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The charges were filed under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, which addresses online threats and cyber harassment.

To support the case, the police presented three witnesses. Aseyan also called two witnesses to testify in her defence during the trial.

Justice Lifu, while reviewing the matter, noted both doctors were once in a romantic relationship before it turned sour.

He further observed that the two had sexual relations while in the United Kingdom and later made conflicting social media posts against each other.

The judge held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore could not secure a conviction.

Specifically, the judge said the defendant’s alleged Twitter handle used in the cyberbullying was not tendered as evidence before the court.

Justice Lifu also said there was no proof of threats or intimidation, but rather evidence of a previous affectionate relationship.

Consequently, the judge dismissed all four charges, discharged and acquitted Aseyan, and declared the case closed.

He ordered the police to immediately return all seized items, including her international passport, upon service of the judgment.

Aseyan said she met Ogunsanya online in 2019 and travelled to the United Kingdom in 2020, where she claimed she was raped.

She stated that upon arrival in Leeds on March 7, 2020, tired and disoriented, Ogunsanya offered her wine shortly after she got to his home.

She alleged that after taking the drink, she passed out and later woke up to find that he had allegedly had sex with her without consent.

Aseyan further claimed that Ogunsanya maltreated her before she returned to Nigeria shortly after the alleged incident.

(NAN)