Chief Magistrate Esther Idowu of Magistrate Court II, sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Wednesday, remanded the suspected killers of Abeokuta couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye and their only surviving son, in prison for 60 days.

The suspected killers, Adekanbi Lekan, Odetola Ahmed and Adeniyi Waheed were remanded in Oba correctional center, while their accomplices, Fadairo Temitope and Adekanbi Adenike, were remanded in Ibara Correctional Center.

Both Temitope, a girlfriend to the mastermind, Lekan and Adenike, Lekan’s mother, were remanded in Ibara Correctional Center because there was no female facility in Oba.

The suspected buyers of a vehicle stolen from the deceased compound, Owolaja Anuoluwapo and Usman Azeez, were also remanded in Oba prison for 60 days.

They were brought before the court on an 11-count charge bordering on murder, conspiracy to commit felony, arson, stealing, escape from lawful authority, amongst others.

The remand for sixty days in the first instance, according to the Chief Magistrate, was pending the legal advice of the Department of Public Prosecution, DPP.

Although, the accused persons were not allowed to take their pleas because of the nature of the case, an exparte application for remand was however moved by Oluwatosin Jackson, applicants counsel.

The exparte application moved pursuant to section 306, Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ogun State, 2017, was supported by 14 paragraph affidavit, eleven exhibits and a 4 paragraph further affidavit deposed to and filed on 15th of February, 2023.

According to Jackson, the application will allow proper arraignment and legal advice by the DPP.

She adopted all the process before the court, including a written address, as legal position in the application.

Since the accused persons were not represented by any Counsel, the Chief Magistrate Idowu, ordered all the male defendants to be reminded in Oba Correctional Center and all female accused persons in Ibara.

She later adjourned the case to the 17th of April, 2023 for mention.

Court papers obtained by journalists revealed that the trio of Lekan, Ahmed and Waheed, were charged for murder felony, arson, attempted murder and stealing in counts I – VIII.

The offenses, the charge sheet says, were contrary to section 316, 516, 443, 324, 1(2)(b) and punishable under sections 319(1), 516, 443, 324, of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 20026 and section 1 (2)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R.II Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Count 1 reads, “That you Adekanbi Lekan, Odetola Ahmed and Adeniyi Waheed, of Oke Lantoro, Abeokuta on the 31/12/2022 at about 20:00hrs in the Abeokuta Magistrate District did conspire together to commit and an offence to wit; murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.”

Lekan’s mother, girlfriend and the suspected buyers of the stolen car, were also charged in counts IX and X ‘for conspiracy, accessory after the fact of murder, arson and robbery’; and assisting Lekan to relocate and hide to escape re-arrest.

Count 9 reads, “That you, Fadairo Temitope, Adekanbi Adenike, Owolabi Anuoluwapo, Usman Azeez, and others still at large of Oke-Lantoro, Abeokuta on 02/01/2023 in the Abeokuta Magistrate District did conspire to commit felony to wit; Accessory after the fact of murder, arson, and robbery, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.”

While the mother, Adenike, was specifically charged for giving false statement to the police in order to prevent the arrest of her son. The offence was said to be contrary to and punishable under section 125(a) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

Immediately after the ruling, officers from the Oba Correctional Center took over the suspected killers from the Investigative Police Officers from the Sate headquarters.