On Monday, the Osogbo High Court adjourned till May 31, hearing in the trial of the seven people accused of murdering Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

The Chief Judge of Osun, Adepele Ojo, who adjourned the case, said it was due to the applications brought by the defence counsel.

Mrs Ojo appealed to the counsel to tidy their briefs for a smooth proceeding.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had announced his appearance to take over the case’s prosecution.

Mr Falana told the court of a fiat from the Osun attorney-general to take over the matter he was exercising.

Also, Abiodun Badioara, the state administrator-general and public trustee, announced his appearance for the state.

Former prosecution counsel, M. Omosun, and the administrator-general and public trustee consulted both aligned themselves with Mr Falana.

Mr Falana argued that prosecution, whether signed by the federal attorney-general or state attorney-general, once it was cleared that the police had filed the matter, the attorney-general could take over and issue a fiat to whoever he wished to prosecute the case.

The defence counsel to the first defendant, Kehinde Eleja (SAN), opposed the taking over of the case by Mr Falana, arguing that the chief judge must allow the matter to be sorted out to know who the chief prosecutor was.

Abdulrasheed Muritala, the defence counsel to the second, fourth and fifth defendants, also told the court that the Osun Attorney-General could not by fiat transfer prosecution to Mr Falana, adding that the proper legal process ought to be done.

Edet Okon, the defence counsel to the seventh defendant, also said that the former prosecution counsel, Mr Omosun, had refused to mention any fiat that transferred the prosecution to Mr Falana.

Speaking at the hearing, the defence counsel to the first defendant, Mr Eleja, told the court that his client would not call any witness in his trial.

The second, fourth and fifth defence counsel, Muritala Abdulrasheed, also told the court that he did not have the opportunity to prepare for the proceeding.

Mr Abdulrasheed, who held the brief for the third and sixth defence counsel, Roland Otaru, said his colleague had prayed the court for an adjournment due to some issues beyond his control.

Also, the counsel to the seventh defendant, Edeth Okon, aligned himself with his colleagues for an adjournment in the circumstances.

Mr Falana, however, said that because of his unshakable belief, he was not opposing the application of the defence counsel for an adjournment.

The presiding judge adjourned the hearing from May 25 till May 31, excluding weekends.

The chairman of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Rahmon Adedoyin and the six others have been on trial over the alleged murder of Mr Adegoke.

The six other defendants are Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Florence Oluwole, Oyetunde Kazeem, Kunle Adebayo and Adedeji Adesola.

(NAN)