Four people were arraigned on Monday before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, over the alleged demolition of a building belonging to an Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Olusegun Abayomi.

The defendants, Jubril Amodu, Adekunle Moses, Akintola Olaoluwa and Mustapha Mohammed, all of undisclosed addresses, allegedly demolished the building using an excavator belonging to Planet Projects Limited.

The property, allegedly destroyed on February 2, is said to be Mr Abayomi’s law office on the railway landed property at Ago Taylor, Ibadan.

According to the prosecutor, Sergent Akeem Akinloye, the defendants face charges of forceful entry, unlawful demolition, land grabbing, malicious damage, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

Mr Akinloye alleged that they threatened violence for the purpose of grabbing the real property of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which was leased to Mr Abayomi.

He said the defendants, in the process of demolishing the law office, assaulted one Oluwatoyin Adegoke and Oluwabamise Dada by slapping, punching them, and forcefully taking their phones.

He also alleged that the defendants stole electrical wires, materials and fittings belonging to Mr Abayomi, all valued at over N10 million.

Mr Akinloye said the offences contravened Section 383 and were punishable under Sections 249(D), 351, 390(9), 451 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.

He said the offences also contravened Sections 7 and 9 of the Oyo State Real Properties Protection Law 2016.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges preferred against them.

Thus, the defence counsel, Ola Olaniyi, prayed the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal terms.

Subsequently, the Chief Magistrate, Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N5 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.

Ms Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a property owner, while the second must be a blood relative of each defendant. 

(NAN)