Murder of SAN: Court remands killer-son in prison custody

The Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, arraigned the 21-year-old student of Redeemers’ University, Tola Ajayi, who killed his 60-year-old father, Charles Ajayi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, before a chief magistrate’s court sitting in Owode-Egba in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state for murder.

The suspect, who was arraigned on a count charge of murder, was called to the dock at 9:58 am in suit number MOO/276c/2014.

Tola, a 300 level student of History and International Relations, was said to have stabbed his father to death at about 4am at Canaanland Street, Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp, Mowe in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.

He was subsequently arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command for unlawfully killing his father during an argument.

The prosecutor, Sgt Evidence Onyekachi, told the court that the suspect’s action was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.

The suspect’s plea was not taken as his defence counsel was absent from court. The casefile was, however, duplicated by the Investigating Police Officer, IPO and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice while the accused was remanded in prison custody.

Senior Magistrate Bolaji Ojikutu ordered that the suspect be remanded pending the advice from the DPP.

Ojikutu, who also ordered that the case be returned to the IPO, Sunday Omopariola, for onward transfer to the DPP for legal advice adjourned the case till October 10.

The charge sheet read thus: “You, Tola Ajayi, 21, on July 3 2014 at about 4 am at Cannanland Street, RCCG Camp, Mowe in the Owode Egba Magistrate Court District did unlawfully kill one Charles Ajayi, aged 60, by macheting him with knife and cutlass and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.”