An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun State, on Friday, May 5, ordered the remand of nine suspects (students) for allegedly beating a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Okoli Ahize, to death for phone theft.

The Star had reported that Ahize, a Part 5 student of the Department of Civil Engineering, was beaten to death at the Awolowo Hall of Residence in OAU on Monday, April 10, for allegedly stealing a phone.

The police prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Abdullahi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 10 at about 8:00 p.m. at OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

He gave the names of the suspects as Badiora Timilehin, 22; Adegoke Francis, 23; Atilade Adeniyi, 22; Adeyeni Ajibola, 22; Olayiwola Adewumi, 21; Adisa Olamilekan, 24; Igbinyemi Amos, 22; Osode Joshua, 23; and Philip Kayode, 24.

The prosecutor said the defendants conspired among themselves to commit offences to wit, murder.

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He told the court that the defendants and others now at large unlawfully beat Ahize to death with sticks, stones, and iron rods.

According to him, the offence contravened Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

The plea of the defendants was not taken on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, though Olamide Oladunni and A.R. Abdullateef announced their appearances for them.

The Magistrate, Kike Adebayo, however, asked the prosecutor to duplicate their case files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

Adebayo ordered that the defendants be remanded at Ile-Ife correctional centre.

The Magistrate, therefore, adjourned the case until June 9, 2023, for mention.

The Star