Court remands students in prison over colleague’s death

TWO students of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, have been remanded in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for their alleged involvement in the killing of another student.

The accused, Mufutau Saheed and Adeeko Olamilekan, are to spend the next six weeks in Ilesa Prison for allegedly killing their colleague, Adeola Balogun.

Saheed and Olamilekan, who are members of a paramilitary corps in the institution, were said to have suspected Balogun to be a member of a cult group.

They allegedly arrested and tortured him with intent to compel him to confess his involvement in cultism.

Other students arrested and tortured along with Balogun are said to be on danger list in hospital.

The accused, who are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, allegedly committed the offence with others now at large in the polytechnic.

They were said to have conspired with other accomplices at large on the said date “to commit felony to wit murder and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.”

The second count-charge states that “the duo caused the death of Balogun, a student of the institution by beating him with stick and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 (3) and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code CAP 34, vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.”

Magistrate Olusola Aluko refused the plea of the accused but ordered the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to duplicate and forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

He thereafter ordered that the accused be remanded in Ilesa prison and adjourned the case till July 11.