An Abeokuta, Ogun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Isabo has remanded the suspected killers of Mr. and Mrs. Kehinde Fatinoye and their only son, Oreoluwa.
The five defendants in the case of murder, felony and nine other charges were ordered remanded on Wednesday.
The defendants are: Lekan Adekanbi, 27; Ahmed Odetola, 29; Waheed Adeniyi, 23; Temitope Fadairo, 26; Adenike Adekanbi, 50; and Anuoluwapo Owolaja, 25.
The defendants are facing an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, felony, arson, setting property ablaze, stealing and escape from lawful authority amongst others.
The Police Counsel, Oluwatosin Jackson, who moved a motion ex-parte pursuant to Section 306 of Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of Ogun State, prayed for an order of the court to remand the defendants.
Jackson prayed the court to remand the defendants for 60 days, in the first instance, at Oba Correctional Centre, pending legal advice from the office of the state Director of Public Prosecution.
She said that the suspected killers: Adekanbi, Odetola and Adeniyi, committed the offences on January 1, 2023 at about 1:30am at Ibara Housing Estate in Abeokuta.
The counsel said that the defendants conspired among themselves and killed Kehinde Fatinoye, 57, a former staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, by piecing his neck with a knife and Bukola Fatinoye, 50, a staff of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, by hitting a hammer on her head.
Jackson further stated that the defendants also killed the only surviving child of the couple, Oreoluwa, 26, by pushing him into Ogun river, which led to his death.
She explained that they also stole six phones, valued at N1.5 million, and one Hyundai car, valued at N12 million, from the couple at gunpoint and later set the couple and their house ablaze.
The counsel noted that Fadairo, Adekanbi, Owolabi and Azeez conspired among themselves to commit felony, to wit: accessory after the fact of murder.
She said that Fadairo and Adekanbi assisted Lekan Adekanbi in relocating and hiding him at Akinbade area of Obantoko area in Abeokuta thus preventing the police from arresting him.
The counsel also said that Azeez and Owolaja conspired among themselves to buy the deceased’s car stolen from their compound.
According to her, the offences contravene Sections 316, 319(1), 516, 443 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006 and Section 1(2)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. Rll, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The Chief Magistrate II, Esther Idowu, ordered that the defendants: Adekanbi, Odetola, Adeniyi, Owolaja and Azeez, be remanded in Oba Correctional Centre.
Idowu also ordered the remand of Fadairo and Adenike Adekanbi in Ibara Correctional Centre for 60 days, pending legal advice from the office of the state Director of Public Prosecution.
She, thereafter, adjourned the case till April 17 for mention.