Monday, September 9, 2024 -A traditional ruler in Osun State, Oba Taofeeq Olaposi Osunmakinde was on Monday arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged illegal Gold mining in Lege Community, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Oba Osunmakinde who is the Obawore of
Ifetuntun in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State was put on trial
by the Attorney General of the Federation AGF in Abuja alongside four others on
two count charges.
Others docked along with the traditional
ruler are Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim and Ade Olap Global
Resources Limited.
The AGF accused the five defendants of
conspiring with others at large on August 25, 2024, to engage in the illegal
mining of Gold at the Ogunlepo mining site in Lege community, Odigbo local
government area of Ondo State.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary
to section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2004 and punishable under
section 1(8) of the same Act.
The monarch and co-defendants were also
alleged to have undertaken gold mining on August 25 without lawful authority
contrary to section 1(8) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and punishable under
the same Act.
However, all the defendants pleaded not
guilty to the charges when read to them.
Counsel to the AGF, Toluwalope Alex Ojo,
thereafter, asked Justice Emeka Nwite to give the federal government a date to
open its case against the accused persons.
Although lawyer Ojo did not object to the
bail of the accused persons, he, however, requested the court to compel them to
deposit their international passports with the court.
Counsel to the defendants, Vincent Ododo who
moved consolidated bail applications for his clients pleaded with Justice Nwite
to admit them to bail on various grounds.
Part of the grounds he cited was that the
1st defendant was a well-known traditional ruler and that the charges against
them did not carry capital punishment while also assuring that the defendants
would not fail to appear in court for trial.
In a brief ruling, Justice Nwite admitted
them to bail in the sum of N20M each with one surety in the like sum.
The Judge ordered that the sureties must be
residents in Abuja with ownership of landed properties and must produce a
three-year tax clearance certificate.
In addition, Justice Nwite ordered that the
defendants must deposit their international passports along with three copies
of each of their recent passport photographs with the Deputy Chief Registrar of
the Court.
Pending the perfection of their bail
conditions, the Judge ordered that they be taken to Kuje prison on remand.
Meanwhile, their trial in the charge marked
FHC/A.
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