A teenager, Timilehin Agbeyomi, who was arrested after his
elder brother reported him to the police for truancy, has been arraigned for
alleged murder.
It was learnt that Agbeyomi’s brother had handed him over to
the police on January 26, 2016 “to teach him a lesson” for shunning aluminium
apprenticeship.
However, upon getting to the Bariga Police Station, a
policeman discovered that the 18-year-old was among those wanted by the police
in connection with the killing of a 20-year-old man, Imohlede Asije.
Asije was allegedly killed by Agbeyomi and his gang sometime
in October, 2015, at a party on Oluwafere Street, Bariga. It was learnt that
during the party, the cult members had brought out their weapons, including
guns and machetes, and attacked the deceased.
He was pronounced dead at a hospital in the area. The police
had launched a manhunt for the alleged killers, who included Agbeyomi.
His brother, who was not aware of the pending case, was
reported to have led the police to where he was arrested. Upon his arrest, the
case was transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba.
Agbeyomi told Punch Metro that although he attended the same
secondary school with the deceased, he was not part of the squad that killed
him.
He said, “I did not kill him. We attended the same secondary
school and we were friends. I have known him for a long time. It is true that I
am a cult member, but I did not kill him. I belong to the Aiye Confraternity,
while he was a member of the Eiye Confraternity. On the day he died, I was at
home and did not attend the party where he was killed. I just heard like every
other person.
“I am an aluminium apprentice and because of some things, I
was not going to work. My elder brother, who was not happy with my behaviour
decided to use the police to teach me a lesson. On Tuesday last week, he handed
me over to the police and it was while I was there that they brought up this
matter.”
A police source, however, said the suspect was lying, adding
that it was when he was arrested that he was discovered to be among those
involved in the killing.
The police arraigned him on Thursday before an Ebute-Meta
Magistrate’s Court on five counts of murder and belonging to an unlawful
society.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Olatunde Kehinde, said the
offences were punishable under sections 231, 221, 409, 41 and 42 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011. Kehinde applied for the remand of
the defendant in prison pending the release of legal advice from the
Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The defence counsel, Ola Ogunbiyi, did not oppose the remand
application of the police.
The magistrate, Mrs. Bola Folarin-Williams, ordered that he
should be remanded in prison for the first 30 days permitted by law. She asked
the police to duplicate the case file and forward same to the DPP for legal
advice. The case was adjourned till March 2, 2016.
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