An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has struck out the case of attempted murder and land grabbing instituted against the Oloko of Oko, Oba Solomon Akinola.

Mr Akinola and 14 others were arraigned before the court by the state government.

The trial Judge, Justice Kareem Adedokun, on Monday, struck out the name of the traditional ruler after the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Oyo State, Abiodun Aikomo, applied for the withdrawal of the case against him.

Earlier, the Prosecuting Counsel, I.O. Abdulazeez, informed the court that the Oyo State attorney-general and commission for justice, directed him to withdraw the matter against Mr Akinola, the second defendant in the matter.

Mr Abdulazeez, however, did not state any reason why the Oyo State attorney-general gave the directive.

After the charges against the monarch were struck out, Mr Adedokun adjourned the case until September 18 for continuation of trial of the remaining 14 defendants.

He ordered the defence counsel, O.A. Okeyinka, to ensure that the defendants were brought to court on the adjourned date.

In his reaction to the withdrawal, one of the complainants in the matter, Dr Isaac Abiodun, expressed sadness at the sudden twist in the matter.

Mr Abiodun contended that the traditional was the principal suspect in the case and the withdrawal of his name from the charge sheet would impede justice.

He said, “The directive of the Oyo State Attorney-General to withdraw the case against the principal suspect in the case is a very sad development in the administration of criminal justice in Oyo State. This is a case in which all the facts of the terror attack on the Aagba village have been presented before the court and the court is not being allowed to dispense justice on him. This is somebody whose actions have brought about the death of some people and the burning down of a village. In fact, we have tendered evidence of how Oba Akinola supervised the torturing of three indigenes of Aagba in his palace before the court. Honestly, we are very sad, and we can’t even continue work on our farm since the burning down of the village.’’

Mr Abiodun, the Chief Executive Officer of Tropical Culture Farm, a farm estate, and the people of Aagba are nominal complainants in the case instituted against the defendants.

According to the complainants, the defendants invaded the Aagba village, maiming and destroying property.

They also told the court that they wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who ordered a thorough investigation after which the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) transferred the case to the AGF, Oyo State.

The 14 co-defendants include Chief Sunday Aderinto, Chief Jimoh Asimiyu, Timothy Aderinto, Matthew Akintaro, Rafiu Ganiu and Adejare Adeleru. Others are Samson Ogunmola, Zachiaus Adeleru, Kamorudeen Ajibade, Raji Rasaq, Mutiu Arowosaye, Oyeyemi Oyelekan Olusegun Oyelekan and Sheriff Adio.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the 27-count charge bordering on attempted murder, assault, robbery, stealing and land grabbing.

(NAN)