An Ilorin High Court has acquitted 82-year-old Chief Olowofela
Oyebanji of kidnapping and homicide allegations, bringing relief to the
Igbara-Odo, Ekiti State, high chief after nearly two years of trial.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Justice Umar
Zikki Jubril upheld a no-case submission filed by the defense, ruling that the
prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.
Oyebanji and
12 others had been charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide,
kidnapping, and giving false information in connection with the killing of the
Olukoro of Koro, Oba Aremu Cole, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The judge held that the prosecution’s evidence, including
testimonies from five witnesses, fell short of proving the charges beyond
reasonable doubt. Consequently, all defendants were discharged and acquitted.
Defense counsel Dr. Solomon Afolabi welcomed the verdict,
describing it as “a courageous ruling” that restored justice after months of
unwarranted trial.
"It's a big gift at the beginning of the new legal year that
my client, the 9th defendant who has been standing trial since February 2024,
for an offence he knew nothing about eventually got justice.
"It was just unfortunate that he had to go through this
because as you heard in the judgement, it was a case of random arrests for many
of the defendants in this case," he said.
Another
defense lawyer noted that the decision underscored the importance of due
diligence in criminal prosecution, commending the court for strengthening
Nigeria’s criminal jurisprudence.
"The prosecution presented
evidences and called five witnesses during the case. But after thorough perusal
of the evidence before the court, the court found it in its ruling that the
prosecution failed woefully to provide a
substantial and compelling evidence against all the defendants and in view of
this, discharged and acquitted them.
"The trial judge has made a contribution to our criminal
jurisprudence, and we appreciate this. We also appreciate the defendants who
took their time to work for justice," he said.
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