• Artisan bags four-year jail term for theft
Ondo State Police Command has arraigned a 60-year-old woman, Osagbemi Oluwafemi, along with Taiwo David, 22, and Ayenuyo Ibrahim, 25, before a Chief Magistrate’s Court for alleged murder of a security guard, Taiwo Williams.

The defendants were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and murder.

The incident reportedly took place on July 2, 2025, at New Custom Junction, Idepe, Okitipupa Local Council of Ondo State.

Police prosecutor, Taiwo Oniyere, stated that the defendants attacked the guard with planks, leading to his death a few days later.

According to Oniyere, the offence contravened Sections 324 and 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

The charge reads: “That you, Ayenuyo Ibrahim, ‘m’, Osagbemi Oluwafemi, ‘f’, and Taiwo David, ‘m’ on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully beat up one Williams Taiwo, which later resulted in his death, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

The prosecutor requested that the defendants be remanded pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The defence counsel, O. Adedire, asked for an adjournment to allow her clients respond to the prosecution’s application.

Chief Magistrate Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi granted the request and remanded the defendant until July 31.

In a separate case, a 28-year-old artisan named Tobi Babatunde was sentenced four years by a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure for stealing a poultry feed mill engine worth N1.3 million.

Babatunde was arraigned on a three-count charge of burglary and theft.

The police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, stated that he committed the crime between June 2024 and July 2025 at a poultry farm located in the Mopol Barracks area of Owode, Akure North Local Council of the state.

According to the prosecutor, Babatunde unlawfully entered the poultry farm owned by Veronica Titus and stole two electric motors valued at N650,000 each.

Following the rejection of his plea by the court, Akintimehin requested a severe sentence to deter others from commiting similar crimes.

The offences violated Sections 423 and 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

Magistrate O. Omotosho convicted Babatunde based on evidence presented by the prosecution, as well as his confession.

Babatunde bagged two-year sentence for the first count, with an option of a N200,000 fine, and one year each for the second and third counts, with option of N50,000 fine each.

The sentences were to run concurrently, totalling four years.