Activist Priest, Rev. Ugbolor, Charged With Murder Of Olaitan Oyerinde, Personal Secretary to Edo State Governor
The Nigeria Police Force today in Benin City, Edo State, arraigned before a Benin Magistrate Court, Rev David Ugbolor and nine others arrested in connection with the murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, the late Personal Secretary to the Executive Governor of Edo State.
It would be recalled that last week, a High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), to release Rev. David Ugolor from detention immediately and unconditionally. It was the second time the court was issuing that order.
The 10 men arraigned today faced different charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, illegal possession of arms and receiving stolen property.
The suspects arraigned are:
1) Danjuma Musa
2) Murtala Usman
3) Auta Umaru
4) Moses Asamaokoro alias Auchi
5) Garba Usman Maisamari
6) Umaru Adamu alias Daura
7) Rev David Ugbolor
8) Wilfred Isarhieirhiu
9) Hassan Babatunde Aliyu and
10) Idris Abdul Hameed
Garba Usman Maisamari, Danjuma Musa, Muritala Usman, Moses Asamah Okoro, Auta Umaru Ali, Umaru Adamu alias Duna, Rev. David Ugolor and others now at large, were arraigned for conspiracy, armed robbery, stealing and the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde.
Wilfred Iserhiienrhien was charged with illegal possession of AAA cartridges, while Hassan Aliyu Babete and Idris Abdulahamid were charged with receiving properties belonging to the late Oyerinde.
The investigation into the murder of Oyerinde uncovered yet another separate and independent murder of another Nigerian. It was revealed that Abubakar Mohammed, Ilyasu Abdullahi, Danjuma Musa, Moses Asama Okoro and Muritala (surname not known) now at large, had been involved in a previous case of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder that led to the death of one Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu. On a separate charge sheet, therefore, they are charged with conspiracy, armed robbery, stealing and murder of Ismaila Aliyu.
The IGP assures Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will do everything within its power to ensure that justice is not only done in the on-going case, but manifestly seen to have been done.
The case has been adjourned to 27th September, 2012, while the suspects have been remanded at Oko Prison in Benin. Meanwhile, the case file will soon be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
Rev. Ugbolor, an activist priest, is the Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), a non-governmental organization. He was detained by the police over allegations that he hired assassins to kill Mr. Oyerinde, who was his close friend. Earlier this month, the State Security Service (SSS) paraded some persons they accused of killing Mr. Oyerinde, but Rev. Ugolor was not among them.
“On the day the SSS paraded the suspects, the investigators and robbers revealed to the whole world that it was a robbery incident that went awry and displayed several items belonging to Comrade Olaitan and members of his household that were recovered from the robbers,” ANEEJ Policy Officer Innocent Edemhanrhia said in a statement on August 6.
Source: Legit.ng
