A Chief Magisterial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has ordered that the former Ondo State Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi be produced in the court or his statement on November 24, 2023 over an allegation of stealing.
The Commissioner of Police had applied for a bench warrant to compel former Deputy Governor Agboola Alfred Ajayi to appear before the court over the allegation.
A former aide of the immediate past Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, one Ogunmusi Samuel was on Tuesday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State over a car he allegedly collected in 2018 from a vehicle dealer, Segun Adetuwo popularly known as Showboy.
Ogunmusi had stated in his written statement that he was called into the office by the deputy governor while still in office in 2018 where he met the first respondent, Akintoye Olatunji aka Ebie,
He claimed that his boss, the deputy governor instructed him to take the first respondent to the automart of Segun Adetuwo to collect a car.
The second respondent therefore collected a black colour Toyota Camry XLE from the applicant, Segun Adetuwo and left without paying for the car.
Having been unable to recover the money for the car from the two defendants, Segun Adetuwo, therefore, dragged the duo before the Chief Magisterial Court sitting in Akure.
Arraigning the Akintoye Olatunji and Ogunmusi Samuel with three-count charge, the prosecutor, Emmanuel Tanimowo told the court that the former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, has not responded to the invitation that he should come and avail the court his own side of the incident.
The charge no: MA/C/2/26/C 2023 reads inter alia: “That you Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel, and others now at large sometimes in the month of May 2018 at Automart Akure in the Akure magisterial district did conspire with yourselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence and stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the criminal code cap 37, vol 1 Lawsof Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.
“That you Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel and other now at large sometimes in the .on the month of May, 2018 at Automart Akure in the Akure magisterial district did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtains one brand new Black Toyota Camry XLE valued Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Thousand Naira (N5,400,000) only property of one Segun Adetuwo and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) (a)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences Act, laws of the federation of Nigeria 2006.
“That you Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel and other now at large on same date, and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did fraudulently convert one Toyota Camry XLE valued Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira(N5,400,000) property of one Segun Adetuwo to your own and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383, and punishable under section 390(9) of the criminal code cap 37. Vol. 1laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”
The attorney for the first respondent, Barrister Omolegbon Odunsola pleaded with the court that he had been making efforts to reach out to the deputy governor and the applicant, Segun Adetuwo to see how the issue could be settled out of court.
But the attorney to the applicant, Barrister Alex Olademehin told the court that the deputy governor, Agboola Alfred Ajayi could not give his own side of the incident by proxy.
He argued that Agboola should either go to the Police and give his written statement or appear in court in person.
Giving his ruling, the presiding judge, Chief Magistrate Taiwo Lebi said the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi or his statement must be produced in court in the next adjournment date.
He, therefore, adjourned the hearing to November 24, 2023.
Culled from independent.ng (the headline exclusive)
