BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 24-year-old-man, Abideen Ogungbemi, has been accused of involvement in a jail break.
According to the Osun State Police Command, Ogungbemi, who was, hitherto, arrested for smoking and being in possession of Indian hemp, bolted away from a police station in Ode-Omu.
The police said that the suspect, being handcuffed, broke out of the custody and disappeared into the blues.
When recaptured, he was dragged to a Magistrate’s Court in Osogbo for allegedly being in possession of some wraps of Indian hemp and escaping from custody.
The charge brought against him read that “You, Ogungbemi Abideen, and others now at large, on July 30, 2022 at about 2am at Ode Omu, Osun State in the Osogbo Magisterial district, did conspire among yourselves to commit misdemeanor to wit: unlawful possession of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp and wilful damage and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume ll Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You, Ogungbemi Abideen, and others now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did unlawfully have in your possession wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp also known as (Cannabis Sativa) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 430(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You did willfully and unlawfully destroy one handcuff belonging to the Nigeria Police Force and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“About the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, you did escape from lawful custody and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 139 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
The defendant entered into a not guilty plea against the allegations. His counsel, Kehinde Adepoju, urged the court to grant Abideen bail.
However, the police prosecutor, Abiodun Fagboyinbo, objected to the bail application on the ground that the defendant once ran from police custody.
Magistrate A. O Daramola ordered that Abideen be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre, saying that “I am not convinced that the defendant will make himself available to stand his trial if granted bail.
“I adjourn (the case) till September 20 for a definite hearing,” the Magistrate ruled.
