Twelve men, including a traditional ruler, Chief Nojeem Abioye, have been arraigned by the police over the death of one Alhaji Olatunji Rasak, touted as an informant of the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Rasak, aka Alhaji Gay, a hotelier with an alleged reputation for homosexuality, was reportedly murdered during a riot on July 20, 2015, in the Alagbado area of Lagos State.
Abioye, the Baale of Temidire Alagbado, allegedly spearheaded the protest which occasioned the death of Alhaji Gay and one Ganiyu Adebayo, said to be son of a landlord in Alagbado.
The riot had reportedly started shortly after a meeting of landlords and community leaders in Alagbado, who were aggrieved by Alhaji Gay’s alleged land grabbing activities in the area.
The unrest was said to have started when Alhaji Gay’s thugs engaged some youths in the area shortly after the elders’ meeting on July 20.
The traditional ruler, Abioye, was on Tuesday arraigned along with his son, Ganiyu and 10 others before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere.
The accused were arraigned by the police on five counts of conspiracy, rioting, malicious damage, arson and murder.
The 10 others who were arraigned alongside the traditional ruler and his son were Adeola Ogungbade, 37; Ogundare Ogunsanya, 63; Olanlerewaju Ololade, 62; and Bello Lasisi, 60.
Others were 54-year-old Ajani Kasali; Oyedele Musiliu, 64; Jonathan Sanyaolu, 68; Taoreed Bakare, 61; Olaidi Albert, 66; and Wahab Abioye, 38.
In one of the counts, the police prosecutor, J.I. Enang, alleged that the accused “unlawfully caused the death of one Alhaji Rasaki Olaniyi Olatunji, aka Tunji Alaso, by shooting him with a gun and also attacking him with other weapons, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
The men were also accused of forming “an unlawful assembly and acting in a disorderly manner to disturb the peace of the community and its environs, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 45(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
Enang also charged the 12 accused with malicious damage and arson, saying that they were liable to punishment under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
When the charges were read to the accused before the court, presided over by Mrs. O.M. Ajayi, they all pleaded not guilty.
Ajayi remanded the suspect in prison pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the matter.
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