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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Nigerian Senator In Prison Over Death Of NURTW Leader



Nigerian Senator, who is also the current Senate leader at the national assembly, Teslim Folarin was, on Tuesday, arraigned before a Magistrate Court, Ibadan over the murder of the former factional leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Oyo State branch, Alhaji Lateef Salako, a.k.a Eleweomo who was shot-dead on 30th December 2010 during the primaries of the state peoples democratic party.

Chief Magistrate Fatimah Badrudeen of Court 1 had remanded Folarin and three other accused persons in Agodi Prison till January 14 when their case will be heard by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Others sent to prison are Raimi Ismaila, Olayide Raji and Jayeiola Bankole.

Senator Folarin was arrested on Monday and detained by the Oyo State Police Command over the death of Eleweomo.

A former President of the, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), with about 14 other lawyers appeared for the defendants while Mr. M.O Ojeh was the prosecuting counsel.

The charges preferred against Mr.Folarin, Ramoni Jayeoba, Bankole Olaide Raji and Raimi Ismaila, read: "On December 30, 2010 at about 11.30 a.m., at Olunloyo Ogbere, Ibadan in the Ibadan magisterial district (the accused) did conspire with others at large to kill Lateef Salako (a.k.a. Eleweomo)".

Mr. Mathew Ojeh, further told the court that Senator Folarin with the three others and others at large "on the same date and time at Olunloyo Ogbere, Ibadan did murder Lateef Salako (a.k.a. Eleweomo) by shooting him with gun."

Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Akeredolu, however, submitted that the court had no jurisdiction to handle the allegations against the senator being a magistrate court. He pleaded that Folarin be remanded at Agodi Prison "pending the time proper application is filed at the High Court and for us to take proper bail application at the High Court". Akeredolu then urged the court to adjourn the matter till January 14 2011.

The Chief Magistrate agreed with Akeredolu that the court did not have jurisdiction to entertain the case. She then ordered that Folarin and others be remanded at the Agodi Prison till January 14, 2011, as suggested by Akeredolu when the bail application would have been filed and argued at the High Court. 



Source: enownow

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