An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun on Tuesday remanded one David Akinsola, 87; Gbadegesin Akinsola, 71; and five others over an alleged armed robbery.

The Magistrate, Mr Olukunle Owolawi, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison pending the receipt of legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

Other defendants, whose addresses were not given, were Julius Akinsola, 65; Adedini Mathew, 47; Olakunle Oladosu, 41; Adetunji Akinsola, 41 and Seun Omiwole, 37.

Owolawi, who said that the court lacks jurisdiction to try armed robbery cases, ordered the prosecutor, Insp Adebayo Joseph, to duplicate the case file for onward transmission to the office of the DPP for legal advice.

Earlier, Joseph had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Feb. 2 at about 08:00 a.m. at Opa-Aje village, Oke-Awo, near Ile-Ife.

Joseph said that the defendants conspired with others now at large to commit armed robbery.

He alleged that the defendants armed themselves with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons and robbed one Mr Marcus Adedinni of his farm produce valued at N800,000.

According to him, the defendants also unlawfully and willfully destroyed cash crops such as cocoa, plantains and kola nuts, all valued at N1.5 million.

He said the defendants also threatened to kill one Titus Nwakwu with guns and other dangerous weapons.

Joseph said that the offences contravened Sections 1(1) (2) (a) (b) 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Vol. 14, Laws of Federation, 2004 and Sections 86 and 451 of the state Penal Code.

The plea of the defendants was not taken through their defence counsel, Mrs Toyin Olatunji-Lawal and Mr Bonaventure Ibitoye, appeared before the court.

Owolawi adjourned the case till March 4.

(NAN)