An 87-year-old man, David Akinsola, and 71-year-old Gbadegesin Akinsola were, on Tuesday, arraigned before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ile-Ife for armed robbery and felony.
Others arraigned alongside the two men were 65-year-old Julius Akinsola; Matthew Adedini, 47; Olakunle Oladosu, 41; Adetunji Akinsola, 41; and Seun Omiwole, 37.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Joseph Adebayo, said the accused committed the offences on February 2, 2019, at Opa-Aje village, Oke-Awo, Ile-Ife.
Adebayo explained that the accused conspired with others at large to commit felony and armed robbery, adding that the seven men, armed with dangerous weapons, robbed one Marcus Adedinni, an engineer, on his farm.
He said the accused also unlawfully and wilfully destroyed cash crops like cocoa, plantain and kola nut valued at N1.5m.
According to him, the offences contravene sections 1(1) (2) (a) (b) and 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation, 2004, and sections 86 and 451 of the state’s Penal Code.
Although the accused persons were represented by Mrs Toyin Olatunji-Lawal and Mr Bonaventure Ibitoye, their pleas were not taken due to the nature of the offence.
Magistrate Olukunle Owolawi said his court lacked the jurisdiction to try armed robbery cases and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and send it to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the state for legal advice.
He ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the Ile-Ife Prison custody pending their proper arraignment and adjourned the case till March 4 for mention.