A magistrate’s court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has remanded two traditionalrulers and seven other persons at Mandela Medium Security Prison, popularly called IlorinFederal Prison.
The traditional rulers were the Oniganmo of Ganmo in Ifelodun Local GovernmentArea, Alhaji Anafi Zubairu, and his Oluganna counterpart, Alhaji Abdullahi Kolawole.
The traditional rulers were dragged before Magistrate I.A. Olawiyon by the state on four counts of disturbing public peace, mischief and culpable homicide.
Our correspondent learnt on Monday that the arraignment on Friday followed the clash between the two communities last week in which three persons – a serving councillor, a man and a woman were confirmed dead.
Properties were also destroyed during the clash.
Names of the other persons remanded alongside the monarchs were given as Nafiu Jubril, Yakeen Eleshinla, Salimon Bakare, Kosamat Yusuf, Ganiyu Kolawole, Kadir Alao and Abdulganiyu Abdulkadir. According to the chargesheet, the offences contravened Sections 97, 113, 337 and 221 of the Penal Code Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The charge sheet said, “On the 17th and 18th June 2013, there was civil unrest in the Ganmo town resulting from the persistent land and chieftaincy dispute between the families of Oniganmo and Oluganna, which resulted in the disturbance of public peace and loss of properties of the residents of the town.
“On the said date, the Oluganna (first accused) alongside three others and those still at large repeatedly engaged in the act of disturbance of public peace with the members of the Oniganmo’s compound which resulted in the killing of one Idowu Aileru (30) and one Kasali Jimoh (50) both of the Oniganmo’s compound.”
Oniganmo’s counsel led by Mr. Salman Jawondo and that of Oluganna, Mr. J.S. Bamigboye, prayed the magistrate to grant their clients bail.
They assured the court that their clients would not jump bail, saying they were respected monarchs and that they would provide reliable sureties.
But the prosecutor, Mr. Alhassan Jibril, opposed the bail application.
He argued that granting the accused bail could jeopardise the fragile peace that had returned to the war-torn communities.
He also stated that the offences were not bailable.
But the magistrate remanded the accused persons in prison after rejecting the pleas of their counsel. The case was adjourned until July 7, 2013.
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