Residents of Aiyetoro community in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State have raised the alarm over the alleged plot to kill their monarch, Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi. They accused the police of colluding with some persons in the community not only to repress but also to terminate the life of the Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro and Spiritual Head of Holy Apostles Church over a protracted kingship crisis in the community.
It would be recalled that the people of the community earlier raised the alarm over the sudden disappearance of the monarch on Monday January 14, 2019 after he was invited for a security meeting at Igbokoda, the headquarters of the council by the state government.
However, it was learnt that the missing king was allegedly taken to the state police command headquarters, Akure on the order of the Commissioner for Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, and arraigned before a Magistrate Court the following day.
Speaking with journalists, the wife of the monarch, Olori Folashade Ojagbohunmi, lamented that her husband was being victimised and molested by some persons who are using government machinery and the police.
Mrs Ojagbohunmi disclosed that the monarch, who was in police custody for some days, complained of some ailments due to the maltreatment meted on him by the police in their custody, but they refused to allow him go for proper medical attention.
According to her, “The police officer said he was pretending and refused him the right to take care of his health.
When the situation got worse, they had to rush him to the Police Hospital in Akure for treatment.”
She recounted further that Oba Ojagbohunmi was whisked out of the hospital bed for another court case by the police. “They refused to allow him finish his treatment till today and never allow him to go back to the hospital.
“It is crystal clear that they are after the life of my husband for no just cause. The police are being used to persecute him and possibly kill him. I appeal to the government at all levels to leave my husband alone, he is innocent of the charges trumped up against him,” she said.
Meanwhile, the monarch, who is also a prophet of the only church in the community, was charged for promoting native war contrary to and punishable under section 42 of the Criminal Code cap 37 Vol, 1 laws of the state, 2006.
He was also accused of malicious damage to property contrary to and punishable under section 451 of the Criminal Code cap 37 Vol, 1 laws of the state, 2006.
Though the counsel to the Police, Olatunji Kazeem, said he was not ready with his witnesses, he pleaded that the accused should be remanded in prison custody.
The counsel to the accused, Olusola Oke, applied for the bail of his client pending the trial in the law court, arguing that the offences were bailable. While delivering judgement during subsequent arraignment, the Presiding Judge, Justice Bode Adegbehingbe, granted the accused N1 million bail and two sureties in like sum.
According to the judge, one of the sureties, must be a monarch while the other must be an officer not less than Level 10 in the civil service; and should be remanded at Olokuta Medium Prison.
Drama ensued when a police squad led by an officer identified as SOJ stormed the court premises to whisk the monarch back to police custody in contravention to the remand warrant by the judge.
The principal secretary of the community, Mr. Ademolu Atimishe, noted that the present persecution of the monarch was borne out of the inordinate ambition of some persons in the community.
Atimishe, who spoke on behalf of the Supreme Council of Elders, the highest administrative body of Aiyetoro community, urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to set up an independent enquiry committee to look into the kingship crisis.