Ondo ex-Deputy Gov’s Aides dragged to Court for Stealing

Two aides of Agboola Ajayi, the former deputy governor of Ondo State, Ogunmusi Samuel and Akintoye Olatunji have been dragged to an Akure Magistrate Court for Stealing.

Counsel to the prosecutor, Emmanuel Tanimowo said the respondent collected a black Toyota Camry XLE from the applicant, Segun Adetuwo, and left without paying for the car.

Having been unable to recover the money from the two defendants since 2018, the dealer, Segun Adetuwo, dragged the duo before the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure.

The counsel to the prosecutor, Emmanuel Tanimowo, while speaking in court during the arraignment of Olatunji and Ogunmusi, told the court that the former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, had not responded to police invitations to come and tell the court his side of the incident.

The charge number MA/C/2/26/C 2023 read inter alia: “That you, Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel, and others now at large sometime in the month of May 2018 at Automart Akure in the Akure magisterial district did conspire with yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: obtaining by false pretence and stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 37, vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you, Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel, and others now at large sometime in the month of May 2018 at Automart Akure in the Akure magisterial district did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtain one brand new black Toyota Camry XLE valued at Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N5,400,000) only, the property of one Segun Adetuwo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a)(c) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences Act, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.

“That you, Akintoye Olatunji, Ogunmusi Samuel, and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did fraudulently convert one Toyota Camry XLE valued at Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N5,400,000) property of one Segun Adetuwo to your own and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383, and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”

The attorney for the first respondent, Barrister Omolegbon Odunsola, pleaded with the court that he had been making efforts to reach out to the deputy governor and the applicant, Segun Adetuwo, to see how the issue could be settled out of court.

But the attorney for the applicant, Barrister Alex Olademehin, told the court that the deputy governor, Ajayi, could not give his side of the incident by proxy.

He argued that Agboola should either go to the police and give his written statement or appear in court in person.

Giving his ruling, the presiding judge, Chief Magistrate Taiwo Lebi, said the ex-deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, or his statement must be produced in court on the next adjournment date and, therefore, adjourned the hearing to November 24, 2023.