“No One Should Leave Charms In My Courtroom” – Judge Issues Serious Warning

An angry judge has warned members of the public to stop leaving charms in his courtroom.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court gave the stern warning on Monday as the trial of five men charged with the murder of one Ifeanyi Etunmuse began.

“No one should leave charms in my courtroom. It should not be repeated. A talisman was found after the last adjourned date in the murder case,” he said.

The judge, who referred to the charm as ‘property’, warned the courtroom audience: “Do not leave your property here again. It does not work anymore.”

The five suspects are Atunrase Omolabi, Shittu Olawale, Olaide Opeifa, Olanrewaju Adebiyi nicknamed Maja, and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo. Charges have been filed against them by the Lagos State government, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

They were accused at Western Funeral Home in Ijede, Ikorodu, of murder and attempted murder of Etunmuse.

The defense team had resumed the cross-examination of Babatunde Olayinka, a witness for the prosecution, earlier in the trial.

The primary defense attorney for the first, second, and third defendants—Olanrewaju Ajanaku—as well as the fifth defendant subsequently asked Mr. Olayinka if he could confirm that the defendants were involved in the attack on the dead.

Additionally, he inquired as to whether he had been able to see Oluwatosin Onamade, a local lawmaker and burial services entrepreneur,’s compound from where he was hiding after the claimed attack.

The witness testified in court that on the day of the incident, April 16, 2021, he noticed a group of guys brandishing machetes at the Onamade compound. To protect himself, he took cover in the cemetery and lay down for a bit.

The witness also testified in court that he turned back as he was hiding from the men brandishing machetes and noticed a dead body next to him.

The defence counsel to the fourth defendant, Mahmud Adesina, continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness and questioned him on whether he had told the court earlier that Femi Onamade, a relative of Oluwatosin Onamade, was the one who knew the defendants in person.

Mr Olayinka affirmed that it was Femi who knew the defendants and Oluwatosin who could identify them.

The prosecution counsel, M. T. Adewoye, re-examined the witness and asked him to clarify what he meant when he told the court earlier that he could not identify the defendants.

Mr Olayinka told the court that he indeed saw the machete-wielding men when they came into the compound.

Mr Adewoye requested the court to issue a witness summons for Femi Onamade to appear in court.

The judge, then issued a witness summons for Femi Onamade.

The case was adjourned until 19 February 2024, for the continuation of trial.