Lawyers reject defence of Ondo ex-deputy governor’s daughter killer

There was mild drama in Ondo State High Court yesterday as lawyers rejected the service of the suspected killer of the state’s former deputy governor’s daughter, Saidu Shakiru Adeyemi, a 27-year-old who reunited with the deceased less than a month.

The prosecution of the murder case presided by Justice Samuel Bola hit a rock as lawyers in the state are not interested in the case, refusing to make appearance for the suspect. The Guardian reported that one of the lawyers (name withheld) got to the court premises but declined to make an appearance, saying he didn’t know he was engaged to advocate for Adeyemi.

One of the counsels, who spoke to The Guardian on anonymity, noted that the learned fellows were trying to avoid the consequences from the society, who had condemned the enormity of the crime.

For the record, the victim, Khadijat Oluboyo, a 25 year old and final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, was recovered in the room of her boyfriend, Adeyemi on July 2, 2018.

Consequent upon the aforementioned, Justice Bola ruled that the prison officials should liaise with the defendant’s family to fashion out means to providing a lawyer in subsequent trials and adjourned to October 2, 2018.

Leading the prosecution team, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adekola Olawoye, said they had thought the case would commence after the necessary court papers had been served to the appropriate persons.

Olawoye, however, noted that the trial could not commence due to the unavailability of the defence counsel, saying “By law, in a capital offence of this nature, a defendant must be represented by a counsel. That is his constitutional right to fairhearing.

“After serving all the processes on him personally, we discovered that he hasn’t got a legal representation. It is a must before the next adjournment date he must look for a lawyer of his choice as provided in law.

“When we come back next time if he doesn’t after two adjournment then the court is enjoined to pick a lawyer for him,” he said. The Attorney-General, who also aired the curiosity of the general public on the mystery behind the death of Khadijat, who was recovered some days after being buried by the suspect, said the prosecution was bent on knowing the cause of her death.

“We want to know what led to the death of the deceased, how did it come about and we want the defendant to explain to the whole world the part if any he took in the death of the lady,” he said.