Absence Of Lawyer Stalls Trial Of Seidu Adeyemi, Khadijat Oluboyo's Killer

The trial of Seidu Adeyemi, the alleged killer of an Ondo ex-deputy governor’s daughter, Khadijat Oluboyo, at the Ondo State High Court could not proceed on Monday as there was no lawyer to represent the accused.

The state High Court sitting in Akure resumed hearing on the murder case against Adeyemi on Monday, but there was no legal appearance for the defendant, Punch Metro reports.

Adeyemi was arrested by the Ondo State Police Command in July 2018 for allegedly killing the former deputy governor’s daughter at his house in the Oke Aro area of Akure.

The defendant was alleged to have buried her remains inside his room for six days.

At the court on Monday, the leader of the prosecution team and the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kola Olawoye, told the court that all necessary documents had been served for the commencement of the trial.

Olawoye lamented the inability of the defendant to have a legal representative, adding that it was constitutional for him to have a lawyer for fair hearing.

He said:

“By law, in a capital offence of this nature, a defendant must be represented by a counsel. That is his constitutional right to fair hearing.

“He must provide a lawyer of his choice to represent him, but if he fails after two adjournments, then the court will pick a lawyer for him.”

Olawoye noted that the state was interested in the case because of the circumstances leading to the death of the deceased.

He said:

“The state decided to take up the case in order to know what led to the death of the lady, and we want the defendant to explain to the whole world the part he took in the killing of the student, if any.”

In his ruling, the judge, Justice Samuel Bola, ordered prison officials to liaise with the prison welfare officer to contact the defendant’s family in order to provide a lawyer to represent him, adding that the suit would be given an accelerated hearing.

He adjourned the case till October 2, 2018.