An Ondo State Magistrate Court sitting in Akure has ordered the remand of a 34-year-old man, Waheed Afolabi, over the alleged murder of a businessman, Abdulsalam Awoyinka, and for threatening to kill the victim?s wife and children.

Awoyinka was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his residence in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, shortly after praying at a mosque in March.

After the incident, the state police command later arrested the 34-year-old Afolabi and charged him in court.

He was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on murder, threat to life, fraud, and criminal conversion.

During the proceeding, the prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, told the court that the defendant, on March 1, 2025, at 9:00 pm, opposite the Federal Ministry of Works, Ore, killed Awoyinka by shooting him in the chest.

He further alleged that Afolabi threatened the deceased?s wife, Alhaja Morufat Awoyinka, and her children on March 15, demanding N4 million or he would kill them as he did her husband.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N1,500,000 from the deceased?s wife after making a threat and converted the money to his personal use.

He told the court that the offence contravened Sections 319, 86, 419, 393, and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the court did not accept his plea due to a lack of jurisdiction.

The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant to any correctional centre in the state pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In her ruling, Magistrate O. Omotosho ordered the defendant to be remanded in Olokuta Correctional Centre and ordered the police to duplicate the case file and send a copy to the office of the state DPP for legal advice. She adjourned the matter till 10 July, 2025. (The PUNCH)

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