The non-adoption of brief of argument at the Ado Ekiti Division of
the Court of Appeal has stalled the trial of seven persons accused of
complicity in the killing of former Ekiti State National Union of Road
Transport Workers (NURTW) Omolafe Aderiye.
The case could not go on at the Ekiti State High Court 6 on Monday as
presiding judge, Justice Adekanye Ogunmoye adjourned to December 19 for
mention pending the conclusion of hearing at the appellate court.
The accused persons are Adebayo Aderiye (1st), Adeniyi Adedipe (2nd),
Oso Farotimi (3rd), Ajayi Kayode (4th), Sola Durodola (5th), Rotimi
Olanbiwonnu (6th) and Sola Adenijo (7th).
Prosecution counsel, M.T. Alaaya told the court that there was a
pending motion on the matter at the Court of Appeal praying for an
adjournment of the case.
Defence counsel, Elijah Nworie, said the Appeal Court was yet to
adopt the brief of argument of the parties pending before it, hence the
need for adjournment.
Justice Ogunmoye said his court could not go on with the matter when
the Court of Appeal had not disposed of the motion filed there by the
prosecution, adjourning the case to December 19 for mention.
Shortly after the court rose, families of the accused persons alleged
a conspiracy between the state government and the authorities of the
Ado Ekiti Court of Appeal to stall hearing and keep their breadwinners
permanently in prison custody.
Adedipe’s daughter, Oluwatoyin, called on the Fayose administration
to release her father and other accused persons unconditionally saying
the family is suffering the over two year incarceration of his father.
She said: “I gained admission into the university but I could not pay
because of my father’s detention in prison custody and we the children
are crying everyday.
“We know for sure that he did not commit the offence for which he is
being tried and we are calling on them to release him unconditionally.
When my father had the opportunity to run away during the last
jailbreak, he did not do so because he knew he didn’t commit the
offence.”
Olanbiwonnu’s son, Olaide, urged the National Judicial Council (NJC)
and the Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja to intervene, accusing the
Ekiti government of colluding with the Ado Ekiti Division to stall the
case.
Olaide said: “This is a delay tactic employed by the state
government, the accused should be the one delaying the matter but it is
now the other way round.
“We want to appeal to the Federal Government and NJC to intervene by
investigating those at the Ado Ekiti Court of Appeal. These people are
suffering for the offence they did not commit and judges and officials
of the Appeal Court here should not delay the case before them.”
Mrs. Seun Adenijo, who spoke on behalf of the wives of the accused
persons, alleged that the delay was deliberate as the motion was filed
at the Appeal Court over five months ago without being heard.
She said: “We believe the case is being intentionally delayed because
over five months ago when the state government filed a motion there,
they are yet to give a date to hear it.
“There was a time they said they were on vacation and we waited until
they finished vacation and nothing has been done by the Court of Appeal
so far. We appeal to the judges and the Registrar to dispose of the
motion so that the High Court can go on with the case before it.”
