From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Two persons have been arraigned before a Federal High Court of Nigeria, Ibadan Judicial Division, for allegedly shooting an operative of the Federal Operations Unit of Nigeria Customs Service in the head while on lawful duty.
The Presiding Justice, Justice AA Okeke, adjourned the case to January 24th and 25th 2024 for hearing. The court ordered that the suspects should be remanded in the correctional facility within the jurisdiction of the court.
The lead prosecuting counsel, Smart Akande, who is the Director, Legal Services of Nigeria Customs Service said the incident occurred on May 22, 2023 at Tapa community in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The two suspects are Waliu Oladeji, who is the first defendants, and Lateef Odugbemi, the second defendant.
In the case with number, FHC/IB/78C/2023, he preferred four-count charge of conspiracy, firing at customs vehicles, assaulting an officer by shooting him in the head, and obstructing customs officers on duty from performing their lawful duties.
The first count of the charge accused the two suspects and others at large of conspiring among themselves to commit felony to wit obstructing customers officers, who were duly engaged in the performance of their lawful duty imposed on them by the Nigeria Custons Service Act by barricading th Road and shooting at customs officers, which resulted in some officers sustaining gunshot injuries , and thereby committed an offence.
The second charge accused the suspects of firing at the customs vehicle, which was being used for the purpose of enforcing customs and excise laws, and thereby committed an offence.
Also, the count-three of the charge stated that the accused assaulted a customs officer, AO Ekundayo, who was duly engaged in the performance of his lawful duty imposed on him by the Nigeria Customs Service Act, by shooting him in the head, which caused him bodily injury, and thereby committed an offence.
The fourth-count charge alleged the suspects of obstructing customs officers from performing their lawful duty by barricading the road, and thereby committed an offence.
Meanwhile, the two suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the prosecuting counsel. Then, Akande made oral application that the suspects should be remanded in correctional facility.
Both counsel to the first and second defendants Akeem Okelola, and Olawale Sonibare, respectively, informed the court that they have filed bail applications for their clients to be admitted to bail. Okelola said the bail application for the first defendant was filed on November 1, and the prosecuting counsel was served on November 2, asking for adjournment to allow the prosecution team to respond to the bail application.
Also, Sonibare raised an objection that the prosecuting counsel was wrong to have made an oral application that the defendants should be remanded in prison custody. He argued that before making the application, he should have told the court that bail application had been filed by the second defedant. He added that the prosecuting team had filed counter application against the bail.
But Akande said he has a case to prosecute and he would not do the case for the defendants.