Magistrates in Osun State have threatened to go on strike out of fear for their lives as a result of the nightmare arising from the trial of a monarch who has turned out to be untouchable.

The Osun State branch of Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria yesterday in a letter forwarded to the State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, and the Chief Registrar, Mr Lawrence O. Arojo said: “We wish to humbly draw your Lordship’s attention to the series of events that have been evolving recently in relation to our career and safety of our lives.”

The letter dated 4th January, 2017 and titled “Threat to Magisterial Bench of Osun” reads in part: “Of particular importance is the case involving Oba Kadiri Olatunde Adeoye 11 (Oluwo of Iwo Oke) and (1) Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi (2) The Commissioner of Police, Osun State (MIW/MISC.6/2016), which is currently being heard before Magistrate E. Olusola of Chief Magistrate’s Court 2, Osogbo”.

Signed by its chairman, Chief Magistrate F.A. Sodamade, and secretary, Magistrate F.I. Omisade, the body stated that while the case was before a court in Iwo, the presiding Magistrate was almost attacked by miscreants before she was rescued and escorted to Ogbaagba by the Police and Prison officers.

According to the letter, “At Chief Magistrate’s Court 2, Osogbo, the 1st Respondent, Oluwo of Iwo, refused to appear before court on four consecutive occasions despite an order of the court for him to appear. A bench warrant was therefore issued against him the fourth time the matter was heard.

“Instead of the Oluwo of Iwo appearing in court or the police effecting his arrest, the Oluwo of Iwo using various media, proceeded to cast aspersions on the character and integrity of the Magistrate and the judiciary at large. He specifically mentioned on social media and pages of newspapers that the Magistrate is retarded, unfit to be on the bench and disgrace to the judiciary; that he would issue a traditional warrant of arrest against the Magistrate and would never appear before his court.

“We humbly state that with prevalent threat to the security of Magistrates as exemplified in the events of Iwo and Osogbo, we consider our lives unsafe and may be unable to continue sitting in our various stations, which may affect us entertaining any new charge from the office of the Commissioner of Police until the Commissioner of Police has complied with your Lordship’s directives.”

The Chief Registrar of Osun State High Court, Mr Lawrence O. Arojo, also yesterday in a petition to the Osun State Commissioner of Police called for the investigation and arrest of some people who stormed the premises of the High Court to drop leaflets, threatening the life of Magistrate Olusola Aluko, who is handling the case of Oluwo of Iwo.

According to the petition, “In the early morning of Wednesday, 4th day of January, 2017, some leaflets/flyers numbering about twenty were brought to our attention by one the security officers, serving at the State High Court Complex.

“The leaflets contained statements to the effect that a sitting Magistrate of the Osogbo Magistrate District, Mr E. O. Aluko, should distance himself from performing his duties as it relates to the hearing and determination of a contempt proceeding preferred against a particular ruler now pending in His worship’s court. The maker of the said document, having warned the Magistrate went further to say that “The guy is too young to die.”

•Adapted from a Vanguard report.

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