Police Arraign Osun APC Scribe, Aregbesola’s Aides Over Attack On Governor’s Loyalists

The police on Monday arraigned the Caretaker Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Rasaq Salinsile and the immediate past chairman of the party in the state, Adelowo Adebiyi, before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court.

Also arraigned alongside the two politicians were former Commissioner for Works and Transports, Kazeem Salami, ex-Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, Biyi Odunlade; former Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Gbenga Akano and two others namely Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle.

The politicians who are loyal to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who is also the immediate past governor of the state, were charged with assault and conspiracy.

The police prosecutor, Mr John Idoko, told the court that the defendants and others now at large, on August 14 2021 at about 1:30pm in Ogo-Oluwa area conspired among themselves to unlawfully assault one Hamzat Lukman Babatunde by hitting him with stones on his head, which caused him harm.

The prosecutor said, “The defendants assaulted one Ajetumobi Muideen ‘m’ by hitting him with parts of broken plastic chairs on his head, which caused him harm.”

Idoko, who is an inspector of police, told the court that the offences committed were contrary to and punishable under Section 516 and 355 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. Il laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

But the accused persons all pleaded not guilty to the offences the police pressed against them.

The defence counsel, Muftau Adediran and
Abdulfatai Abdulsalam prayed the court to grant bail to all the defendants in the most liberal term.

The magistrate, Dr Olusegun Ayilara, ruled that Salinsile, Adebiyi, Salami, Odunlade and Akano were granted bail with the sum of N5millon and on self-recognition while Popoola and Adekunle were granted bail with a sum of N5million and one surety who must be a civil servant in the state.

The magistrate adojourned the case to September 24, 2021, for mention.

Recall that violence had erupted at the APC state secretariat in Osogbo on August 14 when supporters of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and those loyal to Aregbesola clashed over the result of the APC ward congresses.

The two parties had gone to the secretariat where the Appeal Committee members hearing dispute arising from the congresses were sitting when violence broke our and two persons were injured.