A court in Ede, Osun State, has sent Oba Muideen Azeez, a traditional ruler, and four others to prison because they couldn’t meet the conditions for their bail.
The court decided this on Thursday. They didn’t meet the bail requirements given by the judge.
Earlier, the DAILY POST reported that the king and the others were on trial for burning and damaging a farm in Iloba town.
Others accused are Akibu Abioye, Yisa Akolapo, Rasidi Ayandiran, and Sarafadeen Abioye. They face 29 charges.
The judge, Kudirat Akano, said they could go on bail for 5 million Naira each. They also needed two people to vouch for them.
One of these two people must be a high-ranking civil servant in the area. The other must be another king.
Since they couldn’t find these people to help, they were taken back to prison in a vehicle around 2:10 pm.
The lawyer for the state, Abiodun Badiora, and the lawyer for the accused, Bukola Atobatele, were there in court.
The judge, Akano, set the next hearing for October 16.
These five were first brought to court on June 27, 2024. They face charges of arson, destroying farmland, having firearms illegally, and robbery.
As per the charges, on September 3, 2019, the suspects robbed Wasilatu Akinola and other women at a farm in Oloba. They took 70 kegs of palm oil, palm fruits, goats, and other animals worth around N10 million. They also used violence against the women.
On that same day, they allegedly set the palace of another king, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, and other buildings on fire in Iloba town.
These actions broke parts 402, 403A, 443, 2(1), and 249(1) of the 2002 Criminal Laws of the state.