A traditional ruler in Osun State, the Elegbedi of Egbedi in Egbedore Local Council of the state, Oba Muideen Azeez, yesterday, described the allegations of robbery and arson levelled against him as trumped-up charges to discredit him.

The monarch, including Akibu Azeez, Yisa Surajudeen, Rasidi Ayandiran, and Sarafadeen Abioye, were arraigned last week Wednesday alongside four others before a State High Court sitting in Ede on a 29-count charge of robbery, arson, malicious damage, violence, and forceful entry.

They were accused to have conspired with others at large to have threatened violence to forcefully secure entry into Opeoluwa Integrated Farming Resources Ltd Farm area between Iloba and Egbedi on or about May 28, 2021, a farmland which was claimed to be owned by one Abiodun Oladapo.

Reacting to the allegations in an interview, the traditional ruler, who had been granted bail after pleading not guilty to the charges, insisted that the charges were made up to tarnish his image.

Oba Azeez, who spoke through his lawyer, Adebukola Atobatele, said that he had already instituted a suit against the Ilobas over the land dispute, saying that the matter was still pending before the court when he was served with information on offences bordering on arson, robbery, and others.

Atobatele, who stated that the charges were spuriously fabricated and totally untrue, said: “The Elegbedi of Egbedi was docked on June 26, 2024 after being served with information on offences bordering on arson, robbery and malicious damage of property. The Kabiyesi took his plea of not guilty and the case commenced. The prosecution called its witness, PW1, Oladapo, and he gave evidence. Suffice to say that the Kabiyesi had instituted an action in the year 2018 against the Ilobas on the issue bordering on land because it was ownership of land dispute and the case is still before the court and has not been decided.

“So, the complainant, represented by the prosecution in this present criminal action, is the successor in title of the Olobas and at such, fighting the war in proxy. We believe that as a law-abiding citizen, the Kabiyesi has submitted himself to court and has proven that indeed he is willing anytime to attend his trial.”

“We have done the needful by having the cross-examination of PW1 and the court had adjourned for further hearing of the case. So, the Kabiyesi is ready and the prosecution doesn’t need to delve into media trial because it has gone viral that the Kabiyesi was docked.”

“The prosecution in the case has a serious task in proving the guilt or offences preferred against the Elegbedi of Egbediland because the allegations are mere conjectures.

“The Kabiyesi is a respectable man and he is the man that will submit himself to the law at any point in time and he had earlier approached the court for justice. So, he is known for that and he will for no any reasons flout any order or course of the law. They are just trumped-up charges but we will not delve into the substance before the court. We will wait for justice to be done and have a re-course back.

“We are ready for trial. The Kabiyesi has presented himself and he is a law-abiding and respectable person. He is a monarch within the jurisdiction of the court and the court indeed took cognisance of this. We believe in justice and Kabiyesi will be vindicated,” Atobatele further said.