BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered that a 62-year-old-man, Basiru Modupe, be remanded in the Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly threatening to kill a traditional ruler and one other person.
Modupe is said to be constituting nuisance on and threatening to terminate the life of Oba Abdulrafiu Adebayo and one Abdulrasheed Kolawole over a piece of land under contention.
According to the Police, the defendant and others at large also destroyed some of the economic trees and corner pieces on the land belonging to the monarch.
The charge against him read that “You, Alhaji Bashiru Modupe, and others now at large, on July 19, 2022 at about 11am, at Oloogun area, Kobongbogboe, Osogbo, Osun State, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: threatening violence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You, Alhaji Basiru Modupe, and others now at large on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did with intent to intimidate or annoy threaten to kill one Oba Abdulrafiu Adebayo and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002
“You and others now at large, did arm yourselves with dangerous weapons and with intent to Intimidate or annoy, threaten to kill one Abdulrasheed Kolawole and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002
“You did arm yourselves with dangerous weapons and with intent to intimidate or annoy, threaten to kill one Sulaimon Isiaka and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002
“You did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a misdemeanor offence to wit: malicious damage and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You, Alhaji Basiru Modupe, and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did willfully and unlawfully destroy corner pieces (boundary marks) and economic trees such as cocoa trees, kolanut trees, orange trees (value yet to be known), property of Oba Abdulrafiu Adebayo and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The defence counsel, Najite Okobe, urged the court to grant Modupe bail in liberal terms with assurance that he would face his trial with utmost seriousness.
Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara asked the defence to furnish the court with a formal bail application and adjourned till August 20.
In the meantime, Modupe has been remanded in prison custody.
