Kwara South Senator Rafiu Ibrahim and 18 others arrested in the state before the Feb 23 elections were on Thursday arraigned in an Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court over the February 19 pre-election violence in Ojoku, Kwara, where one person was killed.
Ihe PDP snator and eight others facing four-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, inciting, disturbance of public peace and causing grievous hurt were granted bail by the court.
Nine others facing culpable homicide were remanded in prison but were later granted bail at the State High Court, Ilorin.
Justice E.B Mohammed had earlier granted bail to the nine accused persons, but the case was mentioned and adjourned at the Chief Magistrates’ court, until April 30.
The case of Mr Ibrahim and eight others were adjourned until April 8, for further mention.
Those granted bail along with the senator were Soliu Abdulazeez, Adigun Taofeeq, Wasiu Toheed, Garuba Mustapha, Kubura Wahab, Magaji Bashiru, Fatai Jamiu and Sherif Adisa all from Ojoku town in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Chief Magistrate Jubril Salihu granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Aderemi Ajibola told the court that on February 19, the APC Senatorial candidate, Lola Ashiru and his campaign team were attacked on their way out of the palace of Olojoku of Ojoku by some unknown youths.
He said that during the attack, several gunshots were fired at the campaign team, resulting into killing of one Samuel Abidemi Adeosun, while several other people sustained injuries.
“Several vehicles in the campaign team were also damaged,” he said.
Ajibola said that police investigation led to the arrest of Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim, the PDP Senatorial candidate, who is an indigene of the community and suspected to have incited the said attack on his political opponent.
“Further investigation also led to the arrest of one Kubura Wahab, PDP Women leader in Ojoku, who allegedly harboured three of the accused persons, who participated in the attack
“Another discreet investigation also led to the arrest of the remaining four accused persons with suspected gunshot injuries believed to have been sustained at the scene of the crime,” he said.
Mr Ajibola said the offences contravened provisions of Sections 97, 114, 327 and 247 of Penal Code.
He said investigation is still ongoing towards arresting other suspects still at large.
In his bail application, Mr R. Gold, counsel to Mr Ibrahim and eight other accused persons, said there was no concrete evidence that showed that the accused persons were guilty as charged.
Mr Gold said the first accused (Mr Ibrahim), was not at the scene of the crime and had not been found guilty in any way, while the third to ninth accused persons were arrested in the house of the second accused without any proof.
The nine accused persons, who were later granted bail for culpable homicide were Balogun Wasiu, Mudashiru Oyedele, Abdulkareem Jamiu, Yahya Kamilu, Olalaro Kehinde, Abubakar Ahmed, Shehu Olubolade, Rasheed Rahim and Usman Kolapo.
The prosecutor said the accused persons, armed with various dangerous weapons and suspected to be thugs of the PDP, caused the killing of one Samuel Abidemi Adeosun, through gunshot.
He also said several other people sustained varying injuries as well as vandalism of the APC campaign vehicles.
“The IGP Special Tactical squad, Abuja on election security duties in the state swung into action and arrested the accused persons at Oyun Local Government Area, Kwara.
“Discreet investigation conducted into the incident revealed that the accused conspired with other still at large to carry out the said attack which resulted in the killing of the deceased.
“In the course of investigation, the second accused, Mudashiru Oyedele, confessed being at the scene of the incident with one Nurudeen of Ajase-Ipo still at large, who was in possession of one Pump Action Riffle and a locally made pistol, used for the attack,” he said.
Mr Ajibola said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 113, and 221 of the Penal Code.