The failure of the police to arrest the chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Mr Jide Awe for alleged murder has made a high court in Ado Ekiti to strike out the murder charge preferred against the party’s chieftain and three other persons.Mr Awe, the first defendant in the suit, was accused by the state of complicity in the murder of Murphy Jeje and attempted murder of Mrs Juliana Adewumi in Erijiyan Ekiti on March 31, 2013.The inability of the police to arrest him may not be unconnected with a Federal High Court’s interlocutory injunction restraining his arrest.The ruling was made in 2015 by a court in Jos, Plateau State.When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, Justice Bamidele Omotoso of High Court Seven struck out the case upon the application of the prosecution counsel for an order striking out the names of 1st to 4th defendants for inability to bring the accused persons to the court for trial.The defendants are John Faboro Ojo (2nd), Aniramu Basiru (3rd), Falayi Busuyi (4th), Owonifari Sefiu (5th) and Adenijo Sola (6th).Prosecution counsel, Yakubu Dauda, indicated his interest before the court for the names of Mr Awe and three other defendants to be struck out since they cannot be arrested and brought before for trial.Mr Dauda, however, urged the court to continue with the trial of the two other accused persons, Adenijo Sola and Owonifari Sefiu.Counsel to the accused, Ibrahim Olanrewaju, explained that the matter was struck out and charges against the accused persons dropped, in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.Mr Olanrewaju said the court had no option under the prevailing circumstance, stressing that trial in absent is unconstitutional.Credit : Channels Television News
