Confusion in Ondo as court reverses bail on suspected killer of herdsmen

An Ondo Magistrate Court sitting on Tuesday reversed the bail granted
to Ajayi Bayode, who allegedly killed a Fulani herdsman.

Presiding over the case, the Chief Magistrate, Victoria Bob-Manuel
reversed her earlier decision due to the fact that the Court had no
jurisdiction to hear cases that bordered on capital punishment if the
accused is found guilty.


Bayode was last week brought before the court and accused to have
killed one of the Fulani herdsmen who invaded his farmland in Arigidi
Akoko in the Akoko Northwest Local Government area of the State.

He was docked last week on one count charge of murder contrary to
Section 319 (1)of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol 1 of the laws of the
state but was granted bail in order to treat himself before appearing
for trial.

However, the state government through the office of the State Attorney
General and Commissioner of Justice, dissatisfied with the order of
the court, prayed the court to reverse the bail earlier granted to
Bayode for lack of jurisdiction to hear the case.

Representing the Attorney General at the Court, Mrs O.F. Olatunji, in
an application brought pursuant to Section 156 of the administration
of Criminal Justice, said the court should set aside its decision of
the June 14 granting the respondent bail for want of jurisdiction.

"The nature of the offence and the circumstances surrounding it poses
great security challenges to the accused, the community and the state
at large.

"It is only the High Court that has jurisdiction to hear cases that
bordered on capital punishment if found guilty," she said.

However, the counsel to the accused, Mr Wale Omotoso sought from the
Court more time to respond to the application made by the state
government as he was served with the court processes within the court
premises earlier in the day.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Victoria Bob-Manuel ordered the
accused to be taken to the custody by the police and to transfer him
later to the hospital for medical attention.

She, however, ordered that she should be taken to the prison custody
after treatment, saying, since her court did not have jurisdiction to
hear the case, the counsel to the accused should seek bail for the
accused at the High Court.

Reacting to the ruling, Omotoso, accused the Ondo government of injustice.
He said "This is a subversion of justice. A person has been given bail
because of pathetic health condition and overnight, the bail is
revoked. The man is in jeopardy and may likely lose his life anytime
from now. May God help us in this country.

"We are not sure if indeed the Fulani man was indeed dead; we don't
know where the other Fulani herdsman went to, we have not seen any
corpse. I am not sure my client is being charged properly for the
offence committed."