Judge warns against leaving charms inside courtroom

The judge of Ikeja High Court, Lagos State Justice Hakeem Oshodi of has warned members of the public to stop leaving charms in his courtroom, recalling that a talisman was found after the last adjourned date in the murder case.

Penpushing reports that Oshodi gave the warning on Monday at the trial of five men charged with the murder of one Ifeanyi Etunmuse, stressing that such act and action should not be repeated in his courtroom.

‘No one should leave charms in my courtroom. It should not be repeated. A talisman was found after the last adjourned date in the murder case, Do not leave your property here again. It does not work anymore’, he said.

Penpushing further reports that the Lagos State government has filed charges against the five suspects; which include Atunrase Omolabi, Shittu Olawale, Olaide Opeifa, Olanrewaju Adebiyi popularly called Maja, and Jamiu Omosanya also known as Orobo.

The accused persons charged with attempted murder and murder of Etunmuse at Western Funeral Home, Ijede Ikorodu, and earlier in the trial, the defence counsel continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness, Babatunde Olayinka.

Penpushing also reports that the lead defence counsel to the first, second, and third defendants and later on the fifth defendant, Olanrewaju Ajanaku asked Olayinka if he could say that the defendants had a hand in the attack on the deceased.

The counsel in same vein asked him if he was able to get a view of the compound of the local politician and funeral services businessman, Oluwatosin Onamade, from his hiding place following the alleged attack.

Penpushing reports that the witness informed the court that he hid himself in the cemetery, and lay down for a while to hide himself from a group of men that he saw wielding machetes at the Onamade compound on the day of the incident, 16 April 2021.

The witness explained further that as he hid himself from the machete-wielding men, he turned around and saw a dead body beside him, adding that he could not say emphatically that the defendants had anything to do with the body.

Penpushing further reports that the defence counsel to the fourth defendant, Mahmud Adesina, continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness and questioned him on whether he had told the court earlier that Femi Onamade, a relative of Oluwatosin Onamade, was the one who knew the defendants in person.

The prosecution witness affirmed that it was Femi who knew the defendants and Oluwatosin who could identify them, while the   prosecution counsel, M. T. Adewoye, re-examined the witness and asked him to clarify what he meant when he told the court earlier that he could not identify the defendants.

Penpushing also reports that Olayinka informed the court that he indeed saw the machete-wielding men when they came into the compound, while Adewoye requested the court to issue a witness summons for Femi Onamade to appear in court.

Meanwhile, the judge, thereafter issued a witness summons for Femi Onamade and equally adjourned the matter until 19 February 2024, for the continuation of trial.

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