Court releases 12 Ajayi Crowther University students facing murder charges

Twelve of the 25 students from Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo who were charged with suspected murder at Ibadan’s Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court were released on Monday.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the 25 students who were arraigned on June 5 faced charges of conspiracy, murder, and negligence.

Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, the Chief Magistrate, ordered that the pupils be remanded in an Ibadan detention facility pending the conclusion of legal counsel.

Kehinde Martins, Samuel Okorie, Mustapha Khalid, Yusuf Adeniran, Joseph Areoye, Iyanuoluwa Oyelakin, Obaloluwa Olalekan, Emmanuel Adejumobi, John Daudu, Moses Abiola, Hammad Tijani, and David Kolawole are the 12 students who have been freed.

Ogunkanmi, while discharging them, stated that legal advice had been issued, indicating that the 12 students should not be charged with any offence because there was no evidence linking any of them to the alleged crimes.

One of the 25 defendants, Femi Oladoye, a security guard at the institution who had previously been charged with dereliction of duty, was also given bail in the amount of N250,000, with two sureties.

Ogunkanmi then adjourned the case until July 8 for mention.

Previously, the Prosecutor, CSP Funke Fawole, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on May 24 at around 9 p.m. at the aforementioned university.

Fawole claimed that the defendants unlawfully caused the death of one 22-year-old university student, Jefry Akro, by hitting him with boards and electrical wires.

She said that Oladoye, as a security guard, failed to stop the angry students from beating Akro to death. She claimed that the offences violated Sections 516, 515, and 324 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.