Court Orders Arrest of Defence Counsel in Unilorin Student Rape Case

Hammed Shittu

Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, the state capital, yesterday, ordered the arrest of Mr. Sikiru Solagberu, counsel to one of the suspects standing trial for alleged rape and murder of a 300-level student of the University of Ilorin.

The court accused Solagberu of exhibiting conduct unbecoming of a lawyer after last Monday’s court proceeding by making uncomplimentary remarks in some television stations and social media platforms.

The suspects, Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Moses Oluwatimileyin, Oyeyemi Timileyin Omogbolahan, Abdulkarim Shuaib, Kareem Oshioyemi Rasheed, Abdullateef Abdulrahman, Daud Bashir Adebayo, and Akande Taiye Oladoja, were brought to court for alleged rape, murder and armed robbery.

The first three suspects are standing trial for alleged rape and murder of one Olajide Blessing Omowumi, a student of Unilorin in Tanke area of Ilorin early last month.

The other five, including Dauda Bashir Adebayo, were charged with receiving proceeds of armed robbery items.

The trio were said to have “conspired to rape one Omowumi also known as ‘Wumi (now deceased) armed with offensive weapons, including a black wooden pistol, towel, rope, leather belts, and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Kwara State.”

However, at yesterday’s proceeding, the prosecution counsel, who is also the state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Salman Jawondo, told the court that he received a letter from Solagberu (counsel to seventh defendant) indicating his withdrawal from the case.

He added that with the development, the case could not continue, adding that his team had lined up seven witnesses for the day.

In his ruling, an exasperated Justice Ibrahim Yusuf said one Yemisi Ademola, secretary in the chamber of Solagberu brought a letter of Solagberu’s withdrawal from the case to his office.

Justice Yusuf said: “After yesterday (Monday)’s proceeding, counsel to the seventh defendant (Solagberu) made some uncomplimentary remarks in some television stations and social media platforms. The conduct is unbecoming of a legal practitioner.

“I, therefore, order security agents to effect the arrest of the counsel and bring him before this court to come and give reasons why he should not be punished.”