Court orders arrest of Osun monarch, secretary

An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun on Monday issued a bench warrant against a traditional ruler and his secretary for alleged contempt.

The accused and the Olokini of Okini, Oba Okanola Akadiri, and his secretary, Suleiman Rasaki, are facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy, forcibly entry, threat to life and assault.

The Magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko, ordered the arrest of the accused for their alleged failure to honour an earlier order of the court for them to appear before it in a suit.

The Prosecutor, Mr Ogunleye Muyiwa, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Dec. 2, 2012, at about 3:00 p.m. at Awoniyi st., Ilobu, Okini.

Muyiwa alleged that the accused conspired together and forcefully trespassed on a piece of land belonging to one Rasheed Awoniyi.

He alleged that the accused deployed thugs to attack the bricklayers working on the plot of land.

The offences, he said, contravened Sections 516, 517, 86,81, 249(d), 8.,451, and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 11, Laws of Osun, 2003.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, the prosecutor applied for the issuance of a warrant following the failure of the accused to appear in court with no reasonable excuse.

The magistrate consequently ordered the police to produce the accused on April 7, the next adjourned date.