By Ayodele Popoola

An Akure Magistrate’s Court sitting in Oke-Eda on Friday ordered the remand of a 34-year old man, Waheed Afolab, in a correctional centre, over alleged murder of a businessman, Abdulsalam Awoyinka and also threatening to kill his wife and children.

Weekend Hope reported that Awoyinka, a popular building materials merchant, was killed by unknown gunmen at his residence, in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, shortly after leaving the mosque where he went for Taraweeh prayer during the last Ramadan.

The police charged Afolabi with four counts bordering on murder, threat to life, fraud and criminal conversion.

Police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin told the court that the defendant on March 1, 2025, at about 9:pm opposite the Federal Ministry of Works, Ore, killed one Abdulsalam Awoyinka, by shooting him in the chest.

He also alleged that the defendant, on March 15, at the aforementioned place, threatened to kill the wife of the deceased, one Alhaja Morufat Awoyinka and her children the same way he killed her husband if she did not pay him the sum of N4,000,000.

Akintimehin further stated that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N1,500,000 from the deceased’s wife after threatening to kill her and her children. He was said to have converted the money to his use.

The offence, according to the prosecution, contravene Sections 319, 86,419, 393 and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant at any correctional centre in the state pending advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state Ministry of Justice.

In her ruling, Magistrate O. Omotosho, declined the defendant’s plea because the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

She ordered the police to duplicate the case file and send a copy to the DPP for advice.

The magistrate also ordered the defendant’s remand at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the outcome of advice from the DPP, and adjourned the matter till July 10, for mention.