By Ayodele Popoola

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A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Akure has remanded a 45-year-old prophet, Samuel Alade-Emin, for allegedly killing his member’s son, Olasupo Abiona.

The Hope Metro gathered that the deceased, who had been declared missing for seven days, died after he was found in the prophet’s custody.

He was said to have died at an undisclosed hospital, after consuming a suspected poisonous substance given to him by the said prophet

 It was also learnt that the mother of the deceased was the iya-ijo of the church.

The defendant was arraigned before Chief Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, on two counts bothering on deprivation of liberty and murder.

According to the prosecution, the defendant commited the offence between August 22 and 27, 2022 at Alagbado village via Ore.

Police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin told the court that the prophet unlawfully detained the deceased, who happened to be the son of one of the elders in the church, one Olasupo Abiona, in his custody against his wish, which deprived him of his liberty.

Adetimehin also alleged that the defendant in the process administered a substance suspected to be a poison to the deceased which made him to vomit blood that led to his death.

The offences contravene sections 365 and 316(5) of the Criminal Law of Ondo State, 2006

The prosecutor, in a seven-paragraph remand application urged the court to keep the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the outcome of  advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP).

The prophet whose plea was not taken, when addressing the court, said he is innocent of the allegations levelled against him.

Alade-Emi said the deceased was under treatment in his church before he got missing.

He added that he was part of the search team looking for the deceased when he was declared  missing for almost six days before the deceased walked into the church premises.

“Immediately he entered the church, I told my wife to call his  mother that his lost son has been found. His mother came, she saw her son and he was immediately rushed to the hospital.

 “It was quite unfortunate that he died in the hospital after ten days of treatment,”he said.

Lawyer to the defendant, A. Motunrayo prayed the court to grant her client bail in most liberal terms, emphasising on his innocence.

 Chief Magistrate Musa Al-Yunus ordered the remand of the defendant pending an advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions.

Al-Yunus adjourned the case till February 9, 2023.