5 Remanded Over Threat To Monarch’s Life

For allegedly threatening the life of the monarch of Shasha in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Oba Babatunde Akanbi Nosiru Ogunrombi and holding the school children of Benvic International School, Shasha, hostage, the police have arraigned five suspects before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

They were slammed with a three-count charge of threat to life and conducts likely to cause breach of public peace at Shasha, on the outskirts of Lagos.

According to the police, the accused, Mufutau Ahmed Ogunrombi, 58, Bashiru Umar, 63; Abayomi Olorunfunmi, 49; Sule Ahmed, 36; David Jimoh, 28; Isiaka Lamidi, 48 and their alleged ring leader, Ismaila Ahmed, who is on the run, conspired to commit the alleged offence.

The police prosecutor alleged in charge number B/42/2012 that the accused were arrested following a petition by Oba Babatunde Akambi Nasiru Ogunrombi, the Oba of Shasha, that the accused on 17 May, 2012 threatened to kill him for asking them to stop extorting money from people in his domain.

He further stated that the accused attempted to take his life on 28 August, 2012, during his coronation as the Oba of Shasha kingdom.

Following the petition, the police arrested the accused inside the premises of Benvic International School, Shasha, where they had gone to extort money from the proprietor, identified as Ifedayo.

The offence, Inspector Marcus Okon stated, contravenes sections 409, 300 and 166 (d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and the presiding magistrate, Mrs. Abegunde Davies, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. The sureties must show proof of tax payment to the Lagos State government, she directed.

She adjourned the matter till 30 November, 2012 for mention.

The accused were moved to the Ikoyi Prisons when they could not perfect their bail conditions.

—Paul Iyogojie