A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti yesterday remanded three men in prison custody for allegedly killing a 70-year-old woman who was suspected to be a witch.
The victim, Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi was killed in Omuo Ekiti in May, 2012 by some youths in the town for an alleged witch-craft. The angry youths had claimed the deceased used her evil powers to strike her step son, Ola Adewumi, with a strange disease.
However, three persons have been arrested and charged to court in connection with the murder of the Octogenarian. They are: Chief Dayo Olatunbosun Orojo(1st defendant), Mrs. Adesola Adeyemo (2nd defendant) and Abey Feranmi (3rd defendant) all hailed form Omuo Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
They were arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Bodunde on a six-count charge of felony, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful accusation of witchcraft, unlawful participation at a trial by ordeal, unlawful deprivation of liberty and murder.
The charges, according to them contravened various sections of the Ekiti State Criminal Code.
During the court hearing, the counsel to the defendants, Oladele Adedeji had pleaded that the pending bail application be heard and granted to his clients on the grounds that the first defendant is hypertensive and that the second one is suffering from a life-threatening illness inflicted on her by the late Adewunmi.
Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Femi Onipede, had earlier informed the court that the Ekiti State Government had countered the bail application filed by the defence counsel
After listening to the pleas of Barrister Adedeji, Justice Bodunde, in her ruling, dismissed the bail applications and ordered that the accused persons should remain in prison custody pending the time the bail application would be granted.
She thereby, adjourned the suit to January, 17 2013 for further hearing.
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