Oyerinde’s murder: Benin court remands Ugolor in prison

Environmental rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor and nine others were on Friday arraigned at an Oredo Magistrate court sitting in Benin City by the police in connection with the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal/Private Secretary of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.


Other suspects arraigned were, Garba Usman (39), Danjuma Musa (23), Muritala Usman (27), Moses Asamah Okoro (32), Auta Umaru Ali (26), Umaru Adamu (33), Wilfred Iserhienhi (30), Hassan Aliyu Babete (44) and Idris Abdulhamid (24).

Presiding Chief Magistrate Francis Idiake ordered the remand of the 10 accused persons at the Oko Minimum Security Prison.

Rev. Ugolor, Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), was arrested and detained on 27 July, 2012 for alleged complicity in the murder of Oyerinde.

In the eight-count charge, the accused persons were charged with conspiracy to commit felony to wit: “armed robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 6 (b) and punishable under section 1 (2) (a) of the armed robbery and fire arm (Special Provisions)Act, CAP R 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

They were also charged with being in procession of five Blackberry telephone handsets, one Nokia, telephone handset with touch light, two Galaxy tabs, two laptop computers, jewelries, one English made single barrel gun and unspecified amount of money properties of one Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde having robbed and killed him, offenses punishable under section 1 (2) a and (b) of the robbery and firearms special provision Act CAP R 11.

Counsel to Rev. Ugolor, Barrister Afolabi Olayiwola, reminded the presiding magistrate that a Benin high court had ordered the Inspector-General of Police to grant an immediate and unconditional release of his client, adding that a copy of the order was served on the police which has not been obeyed.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Idiake who warned that court orders should be followed and obeyed in the interest of justice, noted that he had no problem granting bail to the accused, but that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the case.

“Since a high court has granted the accused unconditional bail, it is only fair that he should be released unconditionally,” he said.

Idiake who ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody, adjourned the case to 27 September, 2012, just as he ordered that the case file be duplicated immediately, adding that the original of the case file be sent to the department of public prosecution.