ADO EKITI— THE Attah of Ayede Ekiti Oba Joseph Adeleye Orisagbemi was yesterday granted bail by a magistrate court after he was charged with levying war against his people. The prosecutor said Oba Orisagbemi committed the offence contrary to, and punishable under Section 42 of The Criminal Code, Cap 30, Volume II, Laws of Ondo State 1978, as applicable in Ekiti State.
Immediately he was charged his counsel, Mr. Adeyinka Adeoye said the offence was a bailable offence. He applied for bail saying the indigenes could attest to the traditional ruler’s peaceful disposition, since he was installed as Attah of Ayede in 1994. He told the Chief Magistrate, Joseph Akpuabi that the royal father would neither jump bail nor interfere with police investigations if granted bail.
Adeoye argued that Oba Orisagbemi should be assumed to be innocent, pending determination of charges preferred against him, saying that it was wrong and illogical to say that Oba Orisagbemi was fighting against himself as alleged by the police.
“He is the only recognized Oba in the town as at today. The court of appeal’s verdict which kicked against his installation has been appealed against at the Supreme Court,” Adeoye explained.
Before granting bail, Chief Magistrate Akpuabi asked the Investigating Police Officer, Mr. John Ayetiga on the true position of things in the community, to which he said was peaceful as at yesterday.
“Armed mobile policemen have been deployed to mount guard on the monarch’s palace where we arrested some 19 members of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) on Monday,” he said. Granting bail in the sum of N50,000 and two sureties in like sum, Akpuabi directed Oba Orisagbemi to always appear at every court sitting in the course of hearing the charges preferred against him, and adjourned till September 30, 2004.
