An Ondo State Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Akure on Wednesday, ordered the remand of a man, Sunday Clement in prison custody for allegedly killing a farmer Taye Alatoye.
The defendant was arrested by the men of the state police command and was later charged to court on a one-count charge of murder.
He was said to have killed the deceased on his way to farm at Ofosu community, in Idanre Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that on the fateful day, Clement and Alatoye were going to the farm, when he suddenly moved backward, removed his sharpened cutlass, and cut the victim on his neck, leaving his head dangling.
According to the prosecutor, Mary Adebayo, the defendant committed the offence on September 4, 2023, at about 2:30 pm at Baba Odun Camp, Ofosu in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
She said the offence committed contravened Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 37 Vol. II Law of Ondo State, 2006.
Adebayo prayed the court to remand the defendant at the correctional centre, Olokuta, Akure, pending the outcome of advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Folasade Aduroja, granted the prosecutor’s request and ordered the remand of the defendant in prison and also directed that the case file be duplicated and sent to the DPP for advice. She adjourned the case till November 28, 2023.
The defendant who pleaded for forgiveness, informed the court that he committed the act under the influence of hard drugs he took prior to his going to the farm.
He said, “We were both going, and we greeted each other on the path. The spirit just came over me to cut off Taye’s head. I can’t actually say what led to it. I think it was the ‘Ice’ I took in the hot sun.
“The spirit just told me to go backward and I did. All my eyes were blocked and I heard another voice that instructed me to cut the man with the cutlass in my hand, which I did. Immediately I did it, I came back to my senses and started crying before I was eventually apprehended by the police.”
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
