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The Oyo State High Court, sitting at Ring Road, Ibadan, on Thursday discharged and acquitted a former Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede and three others on a two-count charge of murder preferred against them in the assassination of a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Temitope Olatoye, popularly called sugar.
The accused persons, Akinmoyede; Rafiu Adebayo; Rasheed Oladele and Kazeem Ayinde, were standing trial over their alleged involvement in the death of late Olatoye, who was shot dead during the March 9, 2019 governorship and state House of Assembly election.
Justice Mufutau Adegbola, who delivered the judgement , said the prosecution counsel failed to provide any evidence linking the accused persons to Olatoye’s murder.
Justice Adegbola added that the Prosecution Witness (PW1), Mr. Olajide Olatoye, who is the star witness in the case and a younger brother of the deceased, when taking his oath, submitted that none of the accused persons was involved in the murder of his elder brother, noting that one Jelili Okanlomo, who is still at large, committed the crime.
The court thereafter dismissed the charges and acquitted all the four accused persons without awarding any cost.
Reacting, counsel to the defendants, Barr. Michael Lana, who was represented by Barr. Adeboye Adetayo, commended the Judge for a well considered judgement, adding that the defendants have been found not to be guilty of the charges against them.
Speaking on the judgement, Akinmoyede said that God has vindicated him over the allegation levelled against him, stating that truth has finally prevailed with the court’s verdict that acquitted and discharged him.
The former chief whip, who used the occasion to again commiserate with the family, friends and associates of sugar, prayed that God Almighty will fill the vacuum that his death has created and grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
He expressed his profound appreciation to all the traditional institutions in Lagelu loccal government, leaders and members of the All Progresives Congress (APC), his family, friends, religious leaders and the entire Lalupon indigenes, led by Hon. Oribayo Okeyode for their support and prayers throughout the period of litigation.