BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A notorious thuggery kingpin, Hammed Rasheed, popularly known as Oko Ilu, has been remanded in prison by a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, capital of Osun State for offences of murder, arson, destruction of people’s properties among others.
The police in the state arraigned Rasheed on Wednesday on nine count-charge bordering on murder, conspiracy, illegal possession of guns and other dangerous weapons, arson, wilful damage of people’s vehicles and other properties and belonging to unlawful society known as Eiye Confraternity.
The 29-year-old defendant was smiling in the courtroom during his arraignment. Rasheed was brought to the court and docked under heavy security presence. A lawyer, Taiwo Awokunle, represented the accused person.
After the police prosecutor, Inspector Elisha Olusegun had announced his appearance, the presiding Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara said there was no point reading the charges preferred against Rasheed in the open court since the court lacks power to take his plea nor grant him bail.
Ayilara then ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre till October 7 when the matter would be mentioned.
He asked the police prosecutor to forward the duplicate of the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice in the state for legal advice.
The charge sheet obtained in court by our correspondent revealed that the defendant and others said to be at large, between February 13, 2020 and August 7, 2022, terrorised he people of Ede community in the state for two years, killed two persons and shot a police officer. Those allegedly killed included one Hassan Adedeji and Idowu (a.k.a Delta). The accused person was to have unlawfully shot one Inspector Gbenga Eke with a gun with intent to kill him.
Rasheed was also accused of setting houses ablaze, damaging vehicles and belonging to a secret society known as Eiye Confraternity.
The charge read in part, “That you Hammed Rasheed and others now at large, between 13th day of February 2020 and 7th day of August 2022 at Ede, Osun State in the Ede Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code cap. 34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you did unlawfully set on fire a dwelling house, a car and motorcycles belonging to one
Kolade Jelili and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable
under section 443 of the Criminal Code cap. 34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State of
Nigeria, 2002,
“That you and others now at large, did unlawfully set on fire a dwelling house, one Toyota Corolla car and ten motorcycles property of one Olayiwole Wakeel and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 443 of the Criminal Code cap. 34 Vol.II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you did engage yourselves in unlawful society known as Eiye Confraternity, a secret
cult and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under
section 64 of the Criminal Code cap. 34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you did unlawfully have in your possession two locally made guns and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 3(1) of the Robbery and
Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap RII Vol 14 laws of Federation of Nigeria,
2004.”
