Court remands #EndSARS member over impersonation in Osun

A magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday remanded the leader of the second wave of EndSARS protest in the state, Adebisi Oluwaseun.

The Department of State Services (DSS) had dragged the 40-year-old man before Magistrate F. I. Omisade over alleged impersonation of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

It accused Oluwaseun of being a military imposter by allegedly bearing “Captain Adebisi Emmanuel.”

The DSS prosecutor, Ben Nweke, told the court that Oluwaseun made a false attestation in a document entitled: “Memorandum of Understanding,” with reference number: Pcc/os/2020/6/2/7 through witnessing and signing in as “Captain Adebisi Emmanuel”.

Nweke added that the EndSARS movement leader committed felony by holding himself out with fraudulent intent to officers of the Osun State Office of the Public Complaint Commission (Nigeria Ombudsman) by claiming that he serves in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He alleged further that Oluwaseun dressed and appeared in the garb of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on June 19, 2020 in Osogbo within the jurisdiction of the court.

The prosecutor further argued that the accused, in his residence located at the Ile-Idande area, Ayekale Osogbo, on December 9, 2020 was also found in possession of accoutrements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The DSS alleged that the offence allegedly committed by Oluwaseun were contrary and punishable under Section 467, 484, 109 and 428 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. 2, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

Oluwaseun pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge slammed against him.

The defence counsel, A.C. Olaniyi, urged the court to grant Oluwaseun bail and that he would provide reliable sureties and provide him during trial.

The magistrate, Omisade, who ordered that the accused be remanded at Ilesa Correctional Centre, asked the defence counsel to approach the court with a formal bail application.He adjourned the matter till December 21, 2020.