No fewer than nine suspects have been remanded by a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ile-Ife, Osun State for allegedly beating a Final-Year student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Okoli Ahize, to death.
SaharaReporters had reported that Okoli Ahinze, a 500-level student of the school was mobbed to death for alleged theft.
It was gathered that the deceased was beaten to death inside the Awo Hall on Monday. The student was said to have been rushed to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Ile-Ife after complications on Tuesday.
Doctors on duty confirmed him dead when he was taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital.
It was gathered that the student was alleged to have stolen a mobile phone at Awo Hall.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the arrest of some suspected noting that investigation was ongoing.
However, the police prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Abdullahi, on Friday told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 10, 2023, at about 8:00 pm at OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He gave the names of the suspects as 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.
Abdullahi said the defendants conspired among themselves to commit offences to which contravened Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.
He told the court that the defendants and others now at large unlawfully beat Ahize to death with sticks, stones, and iron rods.
The plea of the defendants were not taken on two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, though Messrs Olamide Oladunni and A.R. Abdullateef announced their appearances for them.
The Magistrate, Kike Adebayo, asked the prosecutor to duplicate their case files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Adebayo ordered that the defendants be remanded at Ile-Ife correctional centre. While he adjourned the case until June 9, 2023, for mention.