An Osun State Chief Magistrate Court on Friday, December 30, 2016 ordered the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, to immediately arrest the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, a first class traditional ruler in the state.

Senior Magistrate Olusola Aluko on Friday, December 20, 2016 had issued a bench warrant for Oluwo’s arrest and also last Wednesday ordered the monarch to appear in court on Friday December, 30, 2016 but the traditional ruler was conspicuously absent when the case came up for hearing.

According to the Magistrate, the case brought before him against the Oluwo of Iwo was a criminal case and by the bench warrant issued by him, “the accused person supposed to have been arrested and kept in prison custody”.

Although the defendant’s counsel, Barrister Olayide Yekeen, wrote the court on why himself would not be present for the proceeding, counsel to the applicant, Barrister Soji Oyetayo explained that no reason was given for the absenteeism of his client.

While highlighting the alleged criminal matters brought against Oba Akanbi, Magistrate Aluko noted that the applicant, the Oluwo of Iwo-Oke, Oba Kadiri Adeoye, did not file a chieftaincy case before him.

“I will like to say that the matter before me was filed based on sections 35, 37 and 38 of the criminal procedures of Osun State.

“In a criminal case such as this, a defendant must appear in court. This court is not trying a chieftaincy matter. It is the law that once an order is made, to prevent anarchy such order must be obeyed.

“It is to be noted that an order was first made by my brother, Magistrate Omisade of Iwo jurisdiction before the case was transferred here by fiat and I had warned him (Oba Akanbi) three times to appear before this court,” he said.

Reading parts of the statement credited to Oba Akanbi, the Magistrate stated, “The first respondent is in contempt of the court. He should also come and explain the statements credited to him on television and newspapers against this court.

“I have a duty to protect the judiciary which the respondent wanted to embarrass and humiliate.”

Magistrate Aluko chided the state Commissioner of Police for failing to perform his duty by not effecting the bench warrant on Oba Akanbi which he personally signed and which was handed over to an officer of the state police command.

He said, “I am baffled that the Commissioner of Police has not done his duty. I am also surprised by his claim that he was unaware of the bench warrant. That must be a joke of the century. I therefore order him to immediately arrest the respondent.

“I am not joking with my order. He should be arrested and brought to this court on Friday, January 6, 2017. The sanctity of the judiciary must be protected”, Magistrate Aluko added. ‎

Mischief Makers

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, recently cleared the air on why he refused to appear in court to face litigation instituted against him by Oluwo-Oke of Iwo-Oke, Oba Kadiri Adeoye, on the allegation that he was sponsoring thugs and involved in internet fraud.

At a meeting with one of the leaders of Quadiriyah Islamic Movement of Yoruba land, Mr Muhammed Imran-Adio, at Imoru Compound, Iwo, Osun State, Oba Akanbi described the allegation as a mere threat to intimate the crown.

“The lawsuit was the handiwork of some mischief makers who want to distract my compassionate leadership style and an attempt to get me docked so as to discredit the crown.

“How can I appear in court on defamatory allegations? There are two respondents in the case, Oluwo and State Commissioner of Police.

“The CP has been represented in court several times and I (Oluwo) have also been represented by three royal fathers and qualified layers, so why should the magistrate run after the crown leaving the man in khaki? This is an indication that something is wrong somewhere.

“If they can represent CP, why must they request the physical appearance of a first class ruler? You now insisted on docking Oluwo, maybe you meant another Oluwo not Adewale Abdulrasheed,” he said. (Channels TV)

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