By Ayodele Popoola

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The Ondo State Police command has arraigned a 20-year-old man, Jeremiah Lamidi, before an Akure Magistrates’ Court, over his alleged involvement in the murder of a 25-year-old man, Temitope Olorunfemi, who was lynched by an irate mob, after he was accused of being a ‘Yahoo boy.’

 The Hope Metro gathered that the defendant was arrested for claiming to have seen fetish items which included three tortoises inside the car of the deceased in a viral video tagged, “ Ijapa Meta”.

The suspect was charged with three counts of felony, unlawful murder  and arson.

Police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, said that the defendant and others at large committed the offence on April 10, at about 9 p.m., opposite Odopo Town Hall, along Ijoka Road, Akure.

Akintimehin informed the court that the defendant conspired to commit a felony and unlawful murder of the deceased, Temitope.

He said that the defendant was alleged to have murdered the deceased in cold blood with sticks, stones and other offensive weapons.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant also maliciously damaged one Toyota Camry car with number plates KRD 627 GY, by setting it ablaze.

The offences, Akintimehin said, contravene Sections 324, 316(1), and 451(6)(J) of the Criminals Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Ondo State, 2016.

The court did not take the pleas of the defendant for lack of jurisdiction.

The prosecutor, through a written application, urged the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre, pending the issuance of advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP).

Responding, the defence counsel asked the court for an adjournment to enable the defendant file a counter-affidavit to the application sought by the prosecutor.

Chief Magistrate O. Adedapo adjourned the case till May 13, for a reply to the affidavit and ruling.

He ordered that the defendant should be remanded in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

Recall that an angry mob on Monday, April 10, 2023, stoned Tope to death when his alleged reckless driving caused an accident that left one person dead and six others injured.

After killing Temitope, his car, a Toyota Camry (muscle), was also set ablaze by the irate mob in the presence of his wailing parents.

The deceased’s mother, Mosunmola Bosede, denied that he was a fraudster.

Five suspects were arrested and subsequently arraigned for their involvement in the murder.