An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun State, on Friday ordered the remand of nine students for allegedly beating to death, Okoli Ahize, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), over phone theft.
Recall Hope Metro 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 prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Abdullahi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on April 10 at about 8:00 p.m. at OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Suspects listed in the charge sheet are; 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 to murder the deceased.
He told the court that the defendants and others at large unlawfully beat Ahize to death with sticks, stones, and iron rods.
The offences, he said, contravened Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.
The pleas of the defendants were not taken on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, though Olamide Oladunni and A.R. Abdullateef announced their appearances for them.
Magistrate Kike Adebayo directed the prosecutor to duplicate their case files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
Adebayo ordered the remand of the defendants at Ile-Ife Correctional Centre, and adjourned the case till June 9, 2023, for mention.
