The Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin presided over by Justice Umar Zikir has fixed July 30, 2024, for the proper arraignment of 14 persons accused of killing Oba Aremu Olusegun Cole, the Onikoro of Koro town in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State in February 2024.
The accused persons were also alleged to have kidnapped the wife of the late retired senior military officer, Olori Iyabo Aremu Cole, and two others during an attack.
The accused persons were charged before the State High Court on three counts of conspiracy, kidnapping and culpable homicide.
The accused persons are Godwin Jacob, Olofela Oyebanji, Adefolalu Ayodele, Tewasie Francis, Babatunde Samuel, Godwin Joseph, Issa Mumee, Miracle Solomon, Abraham Kehinde, Muhammed Bello, Muhammed Muhammed, Ahmadu Umaru, Muhammed Dankai, and Saliu Murtala, while others are at large.
According to the charges before the court signed by the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution, Muhammed Akande, the suspects were accused of causing the death of Oba Cole and the kidnap of his wife.
The charges revealed that the accused persons demanded the sum of N100 million as ransom for the release of the kidnapped victims but N12 million naira was later paid.
In his submission, Akande informed the court that the offences against the accused persons are capital in nature which requires them to have legal representation.
He said the office of the public defender will volunteer to render legal service to any of them who need it.
In his ruling, the trial judge, Justice Umar Zikir, retained bail initially granted to two of the accused persons and ordered the remand of the remaining accused persons at a correctional centre till the adjourned date.
