Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court has raised concerns over the presence of charms in his courtroom, urging the public to refrain from leaving such items during proceedings.
The warning was issued on Monday as the trial of five men accused of the murder of Ifeanyi Etunmuse commenced.
During the proceedings, Justice Oshodi disclosed, “No one should leave charms in my courtroom. It should not be repeated. A talisman was found after the last adjourned date in the murder case.”
Referring to the charm as ‘property,’ he cautioned the courtroom audience, stating, “Do not leave your property here again. It does not work anymore.”
The accused individuals, Atunrase Omolabi, Shittu Olawale, Olaide Opeifa, Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja, and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo, faced charges brought by the Lagos state government for attempted murder and the murder of Etunmuse at Western Funeral Home in Ijede, Ikorodu.
During the trial, the defense counsel continued cross-examining the prosecution witness, Babatunde Olayinka.
Olanrewaju Ajanaku, the lead defense counsel, asked the witness about the defendants’ involvement in the alleged attack on the deceased and questioned if he could confirm their connection to the body he encountered during the incident.
The witness revealed that he hid in the cemetery, observing a group of men with machetes at the Onamade compound on the day of the incident.
However, he stated that he could not emphatically link the defendants to the body he saw.
Further cross-examination by the defense counsel to the fourth defendant focused on Femi Onamade’s knowledge of the defendants.
Olayinka affirmed that Femi, a relative of Oluwatosin Onamade, could identify the defendants.
In response, the prosecution counsel, Mr. M. T. Adewoye, requested clarification from the witness regarding his inability to identify the defendants.
Olayinka explained that he did witness the machete-wielding men entering the compound.
To address the identification issue, Adewoye sought a witness summons for Femi Onamade.
Consequently, the judge issued a witness summons for Femi Onamade and adjourned the trial until February 19, 2024.
In a prior court hearing on April 6, the prosecution alleged that the suspects had also severed the wrist of Femi Onamade, the younger brother of Tosin Onamade.
