Court Remands 3 For killing 70-Year-Old Witch In Ekiti

An Ado Ekiti High Court Tuesday turned down bail application by three accused persons  who allegedly killed  the 70-year old Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi in Omuo Ekiti in May this year

The octogenerian was tortured to  death by some youths in the town for alleged  possession of witch-craft power claimed to have been used to inflict her step son, Ola Adewumi, with a  strange disease.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday before Justice Oluwatoyin Bodunde,   counsel to the defendants,  Oladele Adedeji had pleaded that the pending bail application be heard.

The  defendants to the suit are: Chief  Dayo Olatunbosun Orojo(1st  defendant), Mrs.  Adesola  Adeyemo (2nd defendant) and  Abey Feranmi (3rd defendant) They are natives of Omuo Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area.

The accused were  arraigned  on a six-count charge of felony,, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful accusation of witchcraft ,, unlawful participation at a trial by ordeal,, unlawful deprivation of liberty and murder , which are said to have  contravened  various sections  of the Ekiti State Criminal Code.

Counsel to the defendants had told the court that the first defendant  is hypertensive and that the second defendant which happens to be the mother of the late Ola Adewumi, who was said to  have been  inflicted with terminal illness by Mrs.  Adeyemo, is bereaved and ought to be mourning the death of her son.

Justice Bodunde, in her ruling, dismissed the bail applications.

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Mr. Femi Onipede, had intimated the court that the State Government had already filed an objection to the bail application filed by the counsel for the defendants.

The judge however, ordered that the accused persons should remain in prison custody pending the time the bail application would be disposed off.

The matter was adjourned till 17th January, 2013 for ruling on the bail application.