By Adedoyin Adedeji

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A 24-year-old man, Peter Adebayo, has been arraigned before an Akure Magistrate Court, for allegedly killing his friend with a 3kg cooking gas cylinder.

Following the incident, Adebayo who claimed to be under the influence of the hard drug “Colorado” was arrested by the men of the state police command and was arraigned on a one-count charge of murder.

The prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Oniyere, said the defendant committed the offence on February 23, 2024, at about 9 pm, at Ireakari Street, Akure.

Oniyere alleged that the defendant hit the deceased, Lekan Raji, with a cylinder on his head which resulted in his death.

Summarising the Police First Information Report, Oniyere said: “The deceased came home on that day and was not happy with the way the defendant was misbehaving. So, he challenged him. But the defendant who was under the influence of ‘Colorado’,  hit the deceased with the cylinder.

So, he fell and died.”

The charge reads in part, “That you, Adebayo Peter ‘m’ on February 23, 2024, at about 9.00 pm at Ireakari Street, Akure in the Akure Magisterial District, did unlawfully hit one Raji Lekan ‘m’ with 3kg cylinder gas on his head which resulted to his death.”

The offence according to the charge contravenes Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 37 Vol. 1 of Ondo State 2006.

The plea of the defendant was not taken.

Oniyere prayed the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre, Akure, pending the outcome of advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The defendant’s plea was not taken while the defence counsel, C.O. Falana prayed for an adjournment to enable him file a reply to the application.

 Magistrate T. O. Olusola-Olujobi ordered the remand of the defendant at the correctional centre and adjourned the case to March 19, 2024, for the parties to move the applications.