Murder: Court remands NURTW boss in prison

THE Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ebute-
Metta, has ordered the remand in custody of the
Chairman of Meran Branch of the National Union
of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Wasiu
Onibudo, over alleged conspiracy and murder.
The Court presided over by Chief Magistrate
Afolashade Botoku, made the order on Friday,
following an application for remand filed and
argued before the court by the police prosecutor,
Mr. Godwin Osuyi.
Osuyi informed the court that the application was
filed pursuant to Section 264 of the
Administration of Criminal Justice of Lagos state,
2011.
He told the court that the defendant was alleged
to have conspired with others now at large, and
killed one Taiwo Ogunlaja, by stabbing him to
death.
He further told the court that the defendant
committed the offence during a NURTW’s
meeting held on December 3, 2015, at the Union’s
Headquarters, at 365, Abeokuta Expressway,
Abule-Egba Lagos.
The prosecutor told the court that the remand
application was supported by a 10-paragraph-
affidavit deposed to by Inspector Bartholomew
Ali of IGP Monitoring Unit, Abuj. He said a copy
of the affidavit, the charge sheet, a petition
written to the police by Plenary Solicitors, the
deceased photograph, medical certificate of the
cause of the death and a statement of a witness,
named Ahmed Balogun are attached to the
application.
Consequently, he urged the court to remand the
defendant in prison custody, pending when the
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), will issue
an advice on the matter.
However, Chief Magistrate Botoku while
dismissing the objection raised by defendant
counsel, ordered that the accused be remanded
in prisons custody for the first 30 days, pending
when DPP will issue an advice on the matter.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered the police to
duplicate the case file and forward it to the DPP
for advice.
The matter has been adjourned till February 29,
2016.