Lagos Judge Warns Against Use Of Charms in Court

Lagos judge warns against use of charms in court

By wasiu Aremu, Lagos

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court has warned members of the public to stop leaving charms in his courtroom.

Oshodi gave the warning on Monday as the trial of five men charged with the murder of one Ifeanyi Etunmuse began.

“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,” he said.

The judge, who referred to the charm as ‘property’, warned the courtroom audience: “Do not leave your property here again. It does not work anymore.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos state government brought charges against the five suspects; Atunrase Omolabi, Shittu Olawale, Olaide Opeifa, Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja, and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo.

They were charged for the attempted murder and murder of Etunmuse at Western Funeral Home, Ijede Ikorodu.

Earlier in the trial, the defence counsel continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness, Babatunde Olayinka.

Olanrewaju Ajanaku, the lead defence counsel to the first, second, and third defendants and later on the fifth defendant, asked Olayinka if he could say that the defendants had a hand in the attack on the deceased.

He also asked him if he was able to get a view of the compound of the local politician and funeral services businessman, Oluwatosin Onamade from his hiding place following the alleged attack.

The witness told the court that he hid himself in the cemetery, and lay down for a while to hide himself from a group of men that he saw wielding machetes at the Onamade compound on the day of the incident, April 16, 2021.

The witness further told the court that as he hid himself from the machete-wielding men, he turned around and saw a dead body beside him.