BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Police in Osun State have dragged a 65-year-old woman, Adunni Otitoola; her son, Otitoola Damilare Stephen, aged 34; and a 16-year-old boy, Ismaila Abdullahi, before an Osogbo Chief Magistrate’s Court for alleged assault. The family members were said to have pounced on one Inspector Akinremi Julius and beat him up for allegedly attempting to arrest them over traffic violation.
The trio, while journeying along BCGA Area in Osogbo, on January 21, 2023, allegedly broke traffic laws by driving one Toyota Avensis through “one way”. According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, an attempt made by Julius to arrest the defendants was resisted before they allegedly beat up the policeman while discharging his lawful duty.
The charge read, “That you Otitoola Adunni, Otitoola Damilare Stephen, and Ismaila Abdullahi, on the 21st day of January, 2023, at about 3:30pm at BCGA Area, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District did unlawfully assault a police officer, one AP/NO. 216408 Inspector Akinremi Julius by beating him up while discharging his lawful duty and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 356 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you (defendants) did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 349(D) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You, Otitoola Damilare Stephen on the same date and at about 2:30pm at Olonkoro Area, Osogbo, being the driver in charge of one Toyota Avensis with registration number GCE-196- GN, drove same through one way, in a manner that was dangerous to the public, having no regards to circumstances of the road which might have been reasonably being on the high way and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 18(1) of RTR CAP 113 Vol 5, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Their counsel, B. Y. Dada urged the court to grant them bail in liberal terms and that they would make available reliable sureties. Chief Magistrate Olusola Aluko granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 and one surety each in like amount. The matter was adjourned till February 13 for mention.
