Residents of Oba-Oke community in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State have been thrown into shock after one of their neighbours wielded a machete and attacked some children without any provocation.
Ismail Kehinde Saka, aged 37, said to be married with children, allegedly left his house and family members, picked up a cutlass and went into his neighbours house in the street and started attacking their children.
He was accused of behaving strangely and destroying the windows of the house he attacked.
One of the residents, who identified himself as Babatunde, told The Point that, “Saka has been living in our area for some time now and we never knew he has been suffering from any mental illness.
“We were shocked when he suddenly picked up a cutlass that night and started attacking the children in the compound. He gave two girls severe cuts in their bodies and they have been receiving treatments ever since.
“No one can explain the reason behind Saka’s deadly mission because he wanted to kill the children if not for prompt intervention of people around.
“After arresting him that night, he escaped before he could be taken to the police station. It was later that police re-arrested him.”
When Saka was arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court recently, police prosecutor, Elisha Olusegun told the court that the defendant committed the act around September 3, 2023, at Oba-Oke area of the state.
The charge read, “That you Ismail Kehinde Saka, on or about the 3rd day of September, 2023 at about 10:30pm at Oba-Oke area, Osun State in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did willfully and unlawfully damage windows of a dwelling house belonging to one Omidosu Michael and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“That you did with intent to kill, unlawfully inflict machete cuts on the head and body of one Islamiyat Nasiru ‘f’ aged 9years and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 320 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You did with intent to kill, unlawfully inflict machete cuts on the head and body of one Omidosu Bose ‘f’ aged 2years and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 320 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“That you Ismail Kehinde Saka on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, with intent to disfigure or disable, inflicted deep machete cuts on the face of one Islamiyat Nasiru ‘f’ which caused grievous harm to her eyes and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 335 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“With intent to disfigure or disable, you inflicted deep machete cuts on the face of one Omidosu Bose ‘f’ which caused grievous harm to her eyes and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 332 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
Saka pleaded not guilty to the allegations and his lawyer, A. Adeleke, urged the court to grant the defendant bail, saying the constitution presumes him innocent until contrary is proven by the court.
He claimed that Saka is suffering from mental ailment, adding that he has been receiving treatments at a psychiatric hospital.
But, the police prosecutor objected to the prayer for bail on the ground that the victims of the alleged attack are still receiving treatments and that the accused person may run away.
Magistrate Oyindamola Daramola upheld the prosecution’s objection, noting that there was no medical proof for his alleged mental ailment.
Daramola then ordered that Saka should be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned till June 9 for hearing.