Police Arraign Monarch Over Land Acquisition

The Abepa of Joga Orile in Ogun State, Oba Adeyemi Adekeye has been arraigned before an Abeokuta High Court VI over alleged illegal acquisition of 500 hectares of land at Isaga Orile.

The case, with number AB/187/08, was initiated by the Oniyide family in Abeokuta North local government area of the state, brought through their counsel, Mr. Ayotunde Faniyi, had alleged that the monarch encroached on the family land.

Oniyide family, whom their counsel claimed owned the land, had been using it for farming and other purposes before the alleged incursion by the monarch.

The counsel to the Oniyide family has also called on witnesses, including the monarch of Isaga Orile, Oba Joseph Tella, to buttress his claim that the Oniyide family did own the land.

He told the court that the monarch had erected structures such as hospitals, markets, and stalls among others on some portions of the land in dispute.

Giving his testimony on Tuesday, Adekeye claimed that he bought the land in 1999 from Opebiyi and Moronfolu families through one chief Adetayo.

The monarch also said that he decided to build hospitals, markets and stalls on the land so as to develop the community.

According to the monarch, “I decided to build a police post on the land because some armed robbers came all the way from Lagos and dumped six corpses and a damaged vehicle; I called the police in Lafenwa and Ayetoro and they both said that the area was not within their respective jurisdictions”.

The prosecuting counsel claimed that the plaintiff was molested, assaulted and dehumanised many times by sponsored agents of the monarch, all of which was denied by the monarch.

The Judge, Mrs. Olatokunbo Majekodumi, after listening to both arguments, adjourned further hearing till May 21st.