Court remands monarch in prison

Osogbo – (NAN) Oba Adebukola Alli, Alowa of Ilowa in Osun, standing trial for  alleged rape of a 23-year-old NYSC member, was on Friday remanded in prison custody.When the case came up at an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court, the lead defence counsel, Mr Victor Opara, sought for the vacation of an earlier order of June 24, which placed his client on  house arrest.Opara argued that the court’s order that a government doctor should attend to the monarch at his palace had not been complied with as no doctor came to treat him.He expressed fear that the life of the traditional ruler might be in danger in view of his poor health condition.The lawyer also told the court that the private doctors of the traditional ruler were aware of the order and so did not come to treat him.The counsel urged the court to grant his application and vacate the order  to enable the traditional ruler to access medical services in a  hospital of his choice.Mr Olufemi Adedokun, the state counsel did not oppose the application, but he told the magistrate to use his discretion on the matter.Chief Magistrate Adewunmi Makanjuola, in his ruling, observed that the traditional ruler did not appear physically sick, saying that it was all a ploy to evade justice.According to him, the claim in the application that the life of the traditional ruler is in danger is suspicious and can be misleading.Although, the magistrate ordered prison officials to give Alli adequate medical attention, he said “the accused person is hereby ordered to be remanded in the prison custody.”He also ordered the prison’s medical team to furnish the court with details of the medical report on the accused at the next hearing adjourned to Friday July 8.(NAN.Culled from: Vanguard Newspaper