Osun govt drops attempted murder charges against Aregbesola’s loyalists

The Osun State Government on Friday withdrew the attempted murder charges it filed against loyalists of the Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

It would be recalled that former secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Rasaq Salinsile; ex-APC chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi; two ex-commissioners, Kazeem Salami; and Biyi Odunlade, former Special Adviser to Aregbesola, Gbenga Akano and two others Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle, who are loyalists of the minister were arraigned on three counts of attempted murder, conspiracy, and assault on August 23rd, 2021.

Read also: Oyetola admits some disagreements with Aregbesola

A police prosecutor, Inspector John Idoko had told the court that the defendants and others at large on August 14th, 2021, at about 1:30 pm in the Ogo-Oluwa area conspired to unlawfully assault one Hamzat Lukman Babatunde by hitting him with stones on his head, which caused him harm.

However, the governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola directed that the case should be discontinued, noting that the incident was strictly a family affair.

Following the governor’s order, when the case came up at an Osogbo Magistrate Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mr O. F Akintayo prayed the court to withdraw the charges, which he granted.

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