BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
A masquerade custodian, Kayode Esuleke, his son, Ifasola and two others were on Tuesday remanded for alleged murder of a Muslim cleric, Moshood Salawudeen at a mosque in Osogbo, Osun State.
Recall that on June 27, masquerade worshippers in Osogbo allegedly attacked the Kamorudeen Central Mosque, at Oluode Aranyin during an organised prayer for Nigeria.
Esuleke, his son, Kola Adeosun, and Akeem Idowu, were charged to court by the state prosecution department on August 5 but the proceedings were stalled due to Esuleke’s absence.
A principal counsel from the Osun State Ministry of Justice, Moses Faremi charged the defendants on 13 counts, prominent among which were murder, malicious damage, assault and breach of public peace.
However, they all pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences pressed against them.
Justice Ayo Oyebiyi of a High Court sitting in Osogbo, ordered that they should be remanded in the Ilesa Correctional facility and adjourned the matter till September 21, for consideration of bail.
The Police had also arrested the Chief Imam of the mosque, Kareem Yunus, and three others, Salawu Jimoh, Alarape Sulaimon and Raimi Saheed, for alleged assault of the masquerade worshippers.
However, the Muslims were arraigned for assault while the custodians of the masquerade were arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for unlawful vandalisation of the mosque and a Toyota Camry. The court granted all the defendants in the instant case bail.
