Court remands 17 over Disu’s killing

Seventeen men have been remanded by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court for the killing of the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu.

The police from the State Department of Criminal Investigation, on Tuesday, brought a remand application before the court, pending the conclusion of investigations.

The suspects include: Jaiye Dele,40; Alhaji Tajudeen Jegede, 68; Chief Kayode Raufu, 60; Saidi Akanni, 41; Raufu Agunreje 31, Sunday Bulus 30; Taiwo Oyelade, 21; Abiola Ogunsanwo,20.

Others are Stephen Okunraiye 20; Taiwo Gafar 38; Banji Agunrege 37; Ahmed Gafar 25; Moses Okoro, 30, Talabi Onadri 43; Ipaye Oriyomi 25; Yusuf Quadri 23 and Tunde Yusuf 27.

The prosecution team, led by a Chief Superintendent of Police, Enoch Edobor, the head of Legal Section of the SDCI, informed the court that the remand request brought against the suspects, pursuant to Section 264(1)(2) of the Administration Criminal Justice of Lagos State, 2011.

He, therefore, urged the court to remand the suspects in prison pending the time the Directorate of Public Prosecutions would issue an advice on the matter.

He said, “The remand is also to help us conclude investigations.”

However, the defence counsel, F. C. Morka, Ola Ogunbiyi and Eni Tinwa, urged the court to refuse the remand application brought against their clients.

The trio argued that the court had no jurisdiction to grant the remand application of the prosecution as it was not the competent court to try them.

They prayed the court to dismiss the application.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Folashade Botoku, dismissed the submissions of the defence counsel.

She said what the prosecution filed before the court was a remand application, and not a charge.

“This court orders that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the SDCI for the first 30 days permitted by law,” she said.

The matter was then adjourned till November 16.

Disu was killed on Monday by rioters at the Lekki Free Trade Zone during a protest by the community over the construction of Dangote Refineries on land belonging to the village, which had been acquired by the government.

Source:Punch