Police arraign suspected land-grabbers for murder

Two suspected land-grabbers have been brought by the police before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, over alleged murder.

The police accused the defendants, Femi Bakare, 52, and 46-year-old Adewale Kazeem, of killing one Afeez Osunfunmi on the Golf Estate, Lakowe, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos.

A police prosecutor from the Inspector-General of Police’s Office brought the suspects to court on two counts of murder.

The court was presided over by Magistrate A. Adefulire.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased had been at loggerheads with some land speculators, before he was killed on May 15, at about 9.30pm.

The incident was reported at the IG’s monitoring unit at Kam Salem House, Obalende, which led to the arrest of the suspects.

 The prosecutor told the court that the offence contravened sections 221 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The charge read in part, “That you, Femi Bakare, Adewale Kazeem and others now at large on May 15, 2016 at about 9.30pm at the Lakowe Golf Estate, Oko-Olomi, Itanpapa, Ibeju-Lekki in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Afeez Osunfunmi.”

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecution, in a remand application dated May 31 and tendered before the court, prayed the court to remand the defendants in custody pending the completion of investigation.

The magistrate ruled that the defendants be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till June 30, 2016.