if he had wanted and wished to invite buhari base on the allegation labled against him by BH,then it is totally valid and legal within the confine of jurisdiction authorised to him.."an invitation for clarification is not a guilty verdict",it seems that ur likes are clearly suffering from amnesia or certain brain issue that beclouds ur sense if reasoning

You people have leaking brains;
1. GEJ seized newspapers one morning in 2014 in Gestapo style.
2. GEJ flooded Ekiti State with Army battalions to rig in Fayose.
3. GEJ withdrew Amaechi's security.
4. GEJ laid siege to Kano Emirate to prevent SLS becoming King.
5. GEJ killed 3 of Elzakzaky's sons in cold blood.
6. GEJ resurrected OPC to terrorize Lagos residents.
7. GEJ fought card reader with all his might.
8. GEJ postponed general elections under false pretence.
9. GEJ ordered Ngozi to release $2.1bn to Dasuki without NASS approval.

if this is not toga of tyranny,then pls state ur definition of trynnity..u ipob flat.heads are hypocrites,that is all u are,u tend to twist facts and figures to whatever suites ur agenda

Goodluck jonathan was powerless against Buhari building up to the election bcuz the spotlight and attention were on them to the extend that the US and UK secretary had to come to Nigeria calm down the tension arising,if anything had happened to Buhari,BH would have been child's play

GEJ had no choice but to hand over the mantle of leadership after losing,if not,the Gbagbo of ivory coast and jamal yahya of Gambia treatment awaits him

GEJ is no hero! he was just smart enough to accept defeat to avoid being booted out by U.N. troops like what happened in Gambia and IC

maestroferddi:
Why havent Buhari been invited to clear himself of being accused of being the sponsor of Boko Haram?

Can you for once imagine what could have happened if Jonathan had put on this toga of tyranny and repression which Buhari loves so much?

Jonathan had every opportunity under the sun to have taken out Buhari in the run up to the 2015 election. He had tons of security reports that could have sunk Buhari for good but chose the path of honour in allowing democracy and freedom to thrive...


You see, your brain appear to have been switched off... Try get someone to help turn it on.

/
People like to make big deal out of nothing.

What do you think political thugs do during the off season? Sit in their offices giving finanacial advises? Or in the Operating rooms performing surgeries?

Of course, they go back to their freelancing jobs--armed robbery, motor park touts and extortion. These skills got them employed as thugs in the first place.

They work for politicians and are called up as needed. That doesn't mean that the politicians have controls over their daily operations. By the way, every politician has truck loads of thugs available as needed.

You wey dey find electrician wey go fix your light. So dem go hold you if the electrician go job another place and cause wahala because he work for you from time to time?
/

abiodunalasa:
Yes, there's political issue between Saraki and Buhari.

And yes, Saraki has "good boys" he's providing money and fire arms for political purposes.

Now, because Saraki has issue with Buhari should we now dismiss Saraki's culpability in providing dangerous weapons to dangerous peoples ?

Absolutely no!

He who price must pay... regardless the method!

This is exactly how some persons think. They do not think about why Saraki's goodboys are engaging in things like this and getting caught at this particular time of tussle. Why not last year? Why now? Why are they distracting Nigerians from their very problems and important things to discuss and then bring these stories... Politicians eh

hahaha sophisticated imbecilic lineage of ashawo,prostitute,ritualist and regional skull mining entities..who only source of income is through sacrifice and slavery..if only ur father had used u for ritual instead of sleeping with ur sister for blood money

hahaha e pain u!,is mommy is back from prostituting and sleeping with every tom,dick and harry in italy?

LastSurvivor11:


I hail you shakau
Hw did you manage to get network?
I tot ur siblings has bombed every mast?
What about your mother in IDP, is she still alive?
What about ur sisters in IDP that usually get raped for just one plate of Tuwo..
Has she delivered another boko haram?
Cursed terrorists

alhassanyusuf29:
hahaha sophisticated imbecilic lineage of ashawo,prostitute,ritualist and regional skull mining entities..who only source of income is through sacrifice and slavery..if only ur father had used u for ritual instead of sleeping with ur sister for blood money

hahaha e pain u!,is mommy is back from prostituting and sleeping with every tom,dick and harry in italy?

Unbelievable that someone from hunger infested, disease ridden, bloodthirsty and the most illiterate rejoin in West Africa could be comparing himself with an average southerner talk more of an easterner..
Who brought Nigeria back to polio list? North
Who brought Nigeria into terrorist list? North
Boko haram 2nd most deadliest and fulani herdsmen 4th in the world. Courtesy of North
Which state has only 25 children register for common entrance? Zamfara
Whic rejoin has the highest number of poor people in Nigeria? North
Which rejoin has highest number of IDP? North
Which rejoin recorded the highest number of deaths for the past 30 years? North
Which rejoin has highest number of children who doesn't know their parents? North
What about drug abuse? North
Talking about prostitution, I guess the building been demolished by borno government is located in anambra..
Useless terrorist idiot
U guys are embarrassment to Africa

maestroferddi:
The video proves nothing...

Any riffraff could be paid to rope in any politically exposed person...

Rightly spoken, when people are bent on bringing one down they can go to any length.

alhassanyusuf29:
if he had wanted and wished to invite buhari base on the allegation labled against him by BH,then it is totally valid and legal within the confine of jurisdiction authorised to him.."an invitation for clarification is not a guilty verdict",it seems that ur likes are clearly suffering from amnesia or certain brain issue that beclouds ur sense if reasoning

You people have leaking brains;
1. GEJ seized newspapers one morning in 2014 in Gestapo style.
2. GEJ flooded Ekiti State with Army battalions to rig in Fayose.
3. GEJ withdrew Amaechi's security.
4. GEJ laid siege to Kano Emirate to prevent SLS becoming King.
5. GEJ killed 3 of Elzakzaky's sons in cold blood.
6. GEJ resurrected OPC to terrorize Lagos residents.
7. GEJ fought card reader with all his might.
8. GEJ postponed general elections under false pretence.
9. GEJ ordered Ngozi to release $2.1bn to Dasuki without NASS approval.

if this is not toga of tyranny,then pls state ur definition of trynnity..u ipob flat.heads are hypocrites,that is all u are,u tend to twist facts and figures to whatever suites ur agenda

Goodluck jonathan was powerless against Buhari building up to the election bcuz the spotlight and attention were on them to the extend that the US and UK secretary had to come to Nigeria calm down the tension arising,if anything had happened to Buhari,BH would have been child's play

GEJ had no choice but to hand over the mantle of leadership after losing,if not,the Gbagbo of ivory coast and jamal yahya of Gambia treatment awaits him

GEJ is no hero! he was just smart enough to accept defeat to avoid being booted out by U.N. troops like what happened in Gambia and IC

I won't waste my saliva trying to put you right.

I will allow you to wallow in your twisted sense of propriety.

Any attempt disabuse an incorrigible political camp follower like you will prove an exercise in futility since you have sold your soul to the devil thereby electing to be the mouthpiece of evil and subterfuge...

awakeupcall4all:
"If you bring a leopard to kill your enemy, yes, the leopard will kill him. Then it will turn on you when it gets hungry!"

Even the bible likens rebellion to witchcraft...God is a God of vengeance!

All those that conspired to bring this evil man on Nigeria will surely pay dearly for their rebellion!

It was Dino,....Okorocha has been destroyed...Now Saraki...Tinubu and Ameachi should get ready!!...And finally Buhari himself and his evil cabal will self-destruct and peace will finally reign in Nigeria after 2019....

One a side note; When will the IGP be arrested and charged for the murder of the INEC REC and his entire family in Kano to cover the electoral fraud which is the only only thing that qualified him to be the IGP in the process destroying the career of 23 DIG and AIG??

Only for him to go back to the same Kano to start "transmission transmission" when he started seeing ghost of the REC he killed..Lol

after the destruction of people you mation above than destruction of your family follow

CriticMaestro:
For those of u unfortunate to watch here is a summary,
The suspect confessed to be a political thug for saraki and the present governor of kwara state, there main job was to disrupt elections in places that they elite deemed it will be futile to their cause....so as of the bank robbery case...they took matters into their own hands without any backing from the political class whatsoever, in fact the suspect went further to confess that the chief of staff to the governor gave them two a.k 47 to continue their political thuggery but it was actually a retired police officer that gave them 5 a.k 47 they used in carrying the robbery...out of pure greed and wickedness they planned and executed the bank robbery...the suspect said and I quote "it is the devil that made them Rob" well that's what they all say after being caught....so as many of u logical lots see no reason why a governor and a Senate president will order a bank robbery when they have abundance of wealth at their disposal....this confession proves that ur logical thinking is right....
No connection to the robbery whatsoever...
Case dismissed

P.s I'm not in support of the dubious means our politicians use to stay in power

Jury: on the count of conspiracy, aiding and abetting robbery, we the jury have found the defendant not guilty
On the count of causing mayhem and political instability we found the defendant guilty

Have you ever heard the word "accomplice" and the word "ennabling" or "empowerement" ?

VULCAN:
Interesting how anybody that opposes the dictator is entangled in either Murder or Fraud cases. Hmmm. Must be a coincidence

What happened to those that opposed Saraki in the senate? Ali & co

ToluSuo:
Interesting!!! New movie in town, what do we title it?
I just dey siddon watch how the episodes go follow.... bloody zoo republic.... mtscheeew, abeg lemme come and be going.

The tittle is "IT IS THE WORK OF DEVIL"

did I not make any valid points?

maestroferddi:
I won't waste my saliva trying to put you right.

I will allow you to wallow in your twisted sense of propriety.

Any attempt disabuse an incorrigible political camp follower like you will prove an exercise in futility since you have sold your soul to the devil thereby electing to be the mouthpiece of evil and subterfuge...

GOD ! My soul weeps for us the people of this country . So many thoughts rushing to brain all at once , even typing it down seems an ardous task . So the evil of A.K 47s to win elections lived to kill 33 souls after election ? If i'm related to one of the victims will i be here to argue if the LETHAL weapons that killed my loved one was supplied these jackals for election or bank robbery purpose ? Can anyone give a godfearing man guns to intimidate/ kill opponents in times of election ? So many killers on the loose in nigeria it's frightening . Why kill scores after robbing ? Did they in any way hinder your escape ? What have we gotten ourselves into with these devilish group of 'politician' that wil opt to be kings over a desolate land than not rule ? Everything about them from the J a . . Bans to the O . H o k os and the E . Bor . O _ us portrays men who has made a pact with the lord of Hades . What next ? Who is next ? Oh lord GOD , i pray neither me nor one related to me , or known to me will end up as a pawn or scores in these occultic men's game of chess/soccer ,not for the remainder of 2018 , next year nor the next 150 years and more , AMEN ! ! MR PRESIDENT ! , MR IGP ! Remember your oath to the people , non can claim to love Allah when his people entrusted in his care are neglected in times of need, and right now the blood and families of the offa mayhem demand justice . Shun petty scheming in this matter ,investigate thnroughly and bring the perpetrators to book .

VULCAN:
A rather weak argument considering that all Nigerian politicians(including the sinless APC members) have thugs in their employ. From Tinubu who is a father of dangerous thugs, to Oshio who once harboured a notorious killer in govt house when the police were after him till he could bury the case.

So my point is let's see some Buhari supporters arrested. Not just his opposition

Are they armed robbers too? Or you have proof per the crimes they've committed?


Yes, they should be arrested, but not until we have proof of criminal activities like these murderous armed robbers.


You are not making any sense.

abiodunalasa:
Yes, there's political issue between Saraki and Buhari.

And yes, Saraki has "good boys" he's providing money and fire arms for political purposes.

Now, because Saraki has issue with Buhari should we now dismiss Saraki's culpability in providing dangerous weapons to dangerous peoples ?

Absolutely no!

He who price must pay... regardless the method!

if you are expecting Saraki to be jailed because of this criminals then you are a naive kid

abiodunalasa:
Yes, there's political issue between Saraki and Buhari.

And yes, Saraki has "good boys" he's providing money and fire arms for political purposes.

Now, because Saraki has issue with Buhari should we now dismiss Saraki's culpability in providing dangerous weapons to dangerous peoples ?

Absolutely no!

He who price must pay... regardless the method!

if you are expecting Saraki to be jailed because of this criminals then you are a naive kid.

Chai i thought they once said apc doesn't use thugs

Some of them may have been saraki's thugs during the election process but I can bet you, he has dumped them the moment he was elected into office. This na Naija nau...

I never wanted to dignify you with a reply because you come across as one of those plate carrying almajiri that is lucky to have a quranic education with your gut-wrenching use of English lexicon.....

But i will make a sorrowful example out of you to serve as a lesson to you useless supporters of that walking corpse and embodiment of evil call Buhari.....I decree by the spirit of the prophet total destruction into your life and your generations.....Strangers will take away all the pittance you have worked for and like it has always been, begging and madness shall never depart from you lineage in the name that is above every other name Jesus.....Take that as a joke at your own peril!!

Now GTFO my mention never shall a slowpoke like you get a response from me again!!...Brainless imp..

shabak:
after the destruction of people you mation above than destruction of your family follow

CriticMaestro:


How did he aid and abet when he had no direction connection with the crime

You aid and abet when supply arms, money and cars to criminals. You aid and abet when foster tuggery in the name of politics. You aid and abet when the guns and cars you gave to known tugs are used for armed robbery where 33 people are killed.

I hope you have made the connection.

conspiracy

BabaAduras:


You aid and abet when supply arms, money and cars to criminals. You aid and abet when foster tuggery in the name of politics. You aid and abet when the guns and cars you gave to known tugs are used for armed robbery where 33 people are killed.

I hope you have made the connection.

Read and understand

https://www.facebook.com/MaiyegunsDiarylive/posts/1735852849796869

Maiyegun's Diary Live
June 5 at 9:29am ·
The Untold Story of ST Oredein, a Political Godfather Who Became a Robbery Kingpin - Onigegewura

There was no one in Western Nigeria who did not know S. T. Oredein. If there was such a person, he must have just arrived from Planet Jupiter. Chief Samuel Taiwo Oredein was not just a politician. He was politics personified. He was a kingmaker. He was a godfather. In fact, he was the Big Boss.

Oredein belonged to the exclusive club of the seven people who partnered with Chief Obafemi Awolowo to establish the Action Group which became the party that produced the first premier of the region. You don’t know the other founders? I will tell you. They are: Abiodun Akerele, Ade Akinsanya, J. O. Adigun, S. O. Shonibare, Ayo Akinsanya, and Olatunji Dosunmu.

ST did not hold a cabinet position. He was however more powerful than some Ministers of government. He was the Principal Organising Secretary of the Action Group in the First Republic. It is on record that ST had legal authority to issue query to Ministers and chairmen of government’s statutory corporations. It was Chief Oredein that broke the news of Segun's death to Chief Awolowo.

As an acclaimed authority on political moblisation, he also wrote a book. He was the author of A Manual on Action Group Party Organisation. It was published in 1955.

When the news broke in 1971 of his involvement in a case of armed robbery, it was greeted with shock and unbelief. It must have been a mistake, people thought. Or could it have been a political frame-up?

Today, Onigegewura brings you the story of a political godfather who became a robbery kingpin.

On April 13, 1971, Nigerians woke up to hear the news of an armed robbery attack on Bacita Road. Bacita is a small town in Kwara State. It used to be a very popular town in the past. It is the location of Nigerian Sugar Company. When the company was established in 1964, it was the first integrated sugar factory in Nigeria. The town even has an airstrip.

The armed robbery attack was as daring as it was audacious. It was carried out with military precision. Two officers of Barclays Bank and two policemen who were in the vehicles that were attacked by the armed robbers were seriously wounded. One of the wounded persons later died of his injuries at the hospital. (And in case you are wondering what happened to the then Barclays Bank, it is the bank that became our present day Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.)

At the end of the ‘operation’, the armed robbers went away with a box containing thirteen thousand pounds. That was a lot of money in 1971. Chief Awolowo was then the Finance Minister and with his prudent management of Nigerian economy, our pound was almost at par with the British pound.

Mr. Kam Salem was the Inspector General of Police at the time. The Kam Salem House on Moloney Street, Obalende, Lagos is named after him. He directed all police formations across the country to fish out those behind the attack. The police spread its dragnet and within days of the robbery, Felix Dumeh, the leader of the gang was arrested. Nigerians jubilated when they heard the news.

Felix did not make any attempt to deny being the ringleader. He promised to cooperate with the police. He told his interrogators that although he was the leader of the gang, he was not the real brain behind the daring raid. Felix must have at some point in his life aspired to be a musician. He began to sing like a canary. He started to mention names.

The investigators listened in shock as Felix began to mention one name after another. He was not mentioning names of common criminals that the police officers were familiar with. The names of people he mentioned as his backers, protectors and shareholders were names of people you only read about in newspapers.

The first person he mentioned was a Chief Superintendent of Police at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Ibadan, Patrick Njovens. The interrogators opened their mouth in wonder. Felix threw another bomb when he mentioned Mr. Yesufu Bello, an Assistant Superintendent of Police also of CID, Ibadan. The third person he listed as his backer was Amusa Abidogun, a Chief Inspector of Police stationed in Ibadan.

The investigators thought they had heard everything. They didn’t know that egun nla ni o n kehin igbale. It is the biggest masquerade that is the last to come out of the grove. Then Felix spoke again. The name came out in a whisper. It was the name they were all familiar with. I have already told you that there was no one in the Western Region that did not know High Chief Oredein.

Iya Agba, my grandmother, used to tell me that when a child’s net catches a tilapia, the child eats it alone. But when the net catches a shark, the child must run to his father. The investigators knew immediately that this was not a tilapia. The fish they were looking at was nothing but a shark. They went to brief their superior.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police was Mr. Sunday Adewusi. He was later to serve as the Inspector General of Police between 1981 and 1983. Ha! You remember him? He was the IGP when Alhaji Shehu Shagari was the President.

Mr. Adewusi sent his officers to Ibadan Command to investigate the matter. On getting to Ibadan, Adewusi’s officers were arrested by the three senior police officers they were sent to arrest! You are saying “Haba!” The hunters became the hunted. The Ilorin officers were later thrown out of the station! They were warned never to come to Ibadan again.

The three senior officers however didn’t reckon with Adewusi’s tenacity. He came back and got the three of them arrested. He took them to Ilorin. He also invited Chief Oredein for a 'chat'.

Chief Oredein arrived at the Police Command in a grand style. He came to Ilorin in his Mercedes car with its unique plate number: WR 6666. He expected it to be a brief meeting. He had engagements later that day in Ibadan and he had promised to be back at his base before nightfall.

Unknown to ST, the police had done their homework thoroughly. They had painstakingly investigated the case and gathered relevant evidence and related materials before inviting the political godfather. One of the people that the police met in the course of their investigation was Mustapha Adigun who was popularly called Balewa. He got the nickname from the abbreviation of his first name, Tafa! But he was never a Prime Minister. He was also called Tafa Igiripa by some people.

Adigun claimed that Oredein was his boss during the days of politics when he (Adigun) was the head of ST’s political boys. He informed the police that in the evening of the day of the armed robbery attack, he went with his boss to the house of Felix Dumeh. In addition to his boss, the three police officers mentioned by Felix were also present. I am not sure they were wearing police uniforms for that special assignment.

Felix was said to have brought out a bottle of schnapps and some pieces of alligator pepper. He opened the bottle and poured a little quantity on the floor and also threw some alligator pepper on the floor. Like a Chief Priest, Felix then raised the bottle of the alcoholic drink and said: “this thing wey tin we dey do, God make it no let it prove.” They all chorused amen to the solemn prayers. Felix then drank out of the bottle and chewed one alligator pepper. The four of them also drank out of the bottle and chewed alligator pepper.

Oath taking and prayers completed, Felix went to bring a brown paper bag. It was the size of a carton. He gave it to Oredein. ST was about to open the carton when Amusa Abidogun, the Chief Inspector of Police snatched it from him. Abidogun passed the carton to his superior officer Njovens, with a smart police salute. You know seniority is important in the Force. It was the Chief Superintendent of Police who finally opened the paper bag. It was full of currency.

Njovens looked suspiciously at the carton, his eyes made a mental calculation of the total sum. “How much?” He asked. Felix raised his spread left palm before saying “Five.” The senior police officer shook his head. “Is that the arrangement? Before, the arrangement was seven” Felix began to fidget. “The boys are too many on it.” Well, half a loaf of bread was still bread. Five or Seven, Njovens was not one to reject money. Akosapo la n ko owo. The proper way to reject money is to put it in your pocket, as Iya Agba used to say.

Oredein was stunned when he arrived at the police headquarters to meet both Adigun and Felix. Commissioner Adewusi asked them to repeat what they told the police. They did. In the presence of Oredein, Felix confirmed Adigun’s statement that it was Oredein that first received the carton of money from him before Abidogun snatched it from him.

The former Principal Organising Secretary of the Action Group looked blankly at Felix. With a straight face and a deadpan expression, he denied knowing Felix or ever visiting his house. Njovens, Bello and Abidogun also made feeble attempts to deny knowing Felix. Later they started to beg the future IGP to assist them because it was the devil that actually used them to collect the money. “Ise asetani ni. Mo fi Anabi ati Jesu Krisiti beyin!” That was from Alhaji Amusa Abidogun, the Chief Inspector. He offered to return part of his own share.

Chief Oredein, the master strategist, realized that the cards were stacked against him. He checked his sleeve to see whether he had an ace he could use. He found none. It was then he reluctantly admitted that all that Adigun who was also known as Tafa Igiripa said was correct. However, the Chief denied that the money was in one-pound denomination as stated by Adigun. Adigun maintained his stand. Finally, ST nodded his head that the money was actually in one-pound denomination.

It was over the radio that people heard the news. Chief Oredein had been arrested and would be arraigned in Court for armed robbery! Armed robbery! It must have been a case of mistaken identity. It could not have been the Chief S. T. Oredein that they knew. Armed robbery! Ki lo pa alaso funfun ati alaro po? What could have been the connection with the owner of a white cloth and a dyer?

In truth, Chief Oredein was not a poor man by any standard. Everybody knew he was a man of means. Ohun ti a ko mo ni a ko mo, eni ti o ba ti ri oyun oyinbo ti mo pe omo pupa ni o ma fi bi. It is a well-known fact that the product of a white woman's pregnancy would always be fair in complexion. Between 1942 and 1962, Chief Oredein had erected six buildings. And mind you, we are not talking of four-bedroom ‘boys quarters’ in a village o! We are talking of real buildings in strategic locations. Four of the houses were at Ibadan. He built one at Oshodi. The sixth building was in a prime area in Ikeja.

What of automobiles? ST had a total of nine vehicles, including cars and lorries for both his business and personal use. He was not only sagacious on the political field. He was also productive in the other room. He was blessed with more than 30 children.

Finally the day of the trial arrived. People had travelled all the way from Lagos, Ibadan and Ogere to Ilorin to confirm whether it was truly the Chief Oredein that was arrested. To the surprise of many of his supporters and friends, it was the author of the book on political organisation himself that was brought to court.

ST was arraigned alongside the three senior police officers. They were charged with abetting the commission of a robbery and of receiving stolen property as well as offence of harbouring known offenders. In other words, they were charged with receiving 5,000 pounds from the armed robbers in order to screen them from legal punishment for the offence.

It was a criminal trial like no other. It was a battle of giants. Chief Oredein and Patrick Njovens briefed Chief Rotimi Williams to appear for them. Bello and Abidogun retained the services of Mr. Richard Akinjide. The prosecution was led by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Kwara State, Mr. Anthony Ekundayo. The three senior lawyers proved their mettle.

The trial judge was a relatively young judge, having been appointed to the Bench only two years before the trial. However, what My Lord Justice Moradeyo Adesiyun lacked in age, His Lordship made up with uncommon brilliance and exemplary courage.

At the trial, Chief Oredein testified that on the day of the robbery he was at his hometown, Ogere having left Ibadan around 6.30pm on that day and only came back to Ibadan the following day. He admitted that it was true that Adewusi confronted him on May 26 with Felix Dumeh but he stated that he denied there and then the allegations of Dumeh. His principal witness was his solicitor who claimed that he was with Chief on April 13 from about 3pm to 11pm. Chief also called an Imam and a farmer as his witnesses. They all testified that he was at Ogere on the evening of April 13.

The trial was not only being conducted in the courtroom. From Ilorin to Ibadan, From Lagos to Enugu, From Port Harcourt to Ile-Ife, people were also busy conducting their own versions of the trial. Would the young judge be able to convict ST if he was found guilty? Would AG leaders allow their former colleague to go to prison for robbery?

When His Lordship adjourned the matter to December 28, 1971 for judgment, speculations began afresh. It was said that it was to enable the judge to release the accused before the end of the year. Some said that thanksgiving services had been planned to coincide with the New Year. All Nigerians waited with bated breath for the judgment day.

Finally, the day arrived. It was a Tuesday. It was three days after Christmas and three days before the New Year.

The four accused persons were brought to the Court in a Black Maria. If ST felt any apprehension, it was not apparent. As he was led to the court, Oredein gave the sign of victory to the crowd of spectators who had come from far and near to hear the verdict. It was a good sign. It was a sign of victory. His people became happy.

Hon. Justice Moradeyo Adesiyun began by reviewing the charges against the four of them. His Lordship extensively analysed and appraised the evidence. When His Lordship noted the fact that the accused were not at the scene of the crime, Oredein turned to smile at the people in the courtroom. He would soon be on his way home.

Then came the moment. His Lordship found that though the accused persons were not physically present at the scene of the armed robbery, they had prior knowledge of the robbery before it took place and that the three of them who were police officers did nothing to prevent the robbery. His Lordship also found that they all received proceeds of the robbery.

Justice Adesiyun therefore came to the conclusion that the accused persons were guilty of the charges against them.

Chief Oredein could not believe his ears. Guilty as charged? He was not going to be free? His native cap which he had been holding, in deference to the authority of the court, clattered to the floor with a thud. The High Chief from Ogere Remo stood still as if he was Opa Oranmiyan in Ile-Ife. It was Yesufu Bello who was standing beside him that nudged him back to reality. “Chief, 'they' are asking if you have anything to say.”

Oredein had not prepared any allocutus. He had not expected to be convicted. Ko si eni ti o gbe oju fifo le adiye ori aba. Who could have imagined that a mother hen would fly off from her hatchery? You don't know allocutus? It is another Latin word they taught us in Law School. It is a statement made by a defendant who has been found guilty before he is sentenced. It is like 'A beg, tamper justice with mercy' that a Lagos bus driver would tell you after breaking the side mirror of your Range Rover.

Allocutus or no allocutus, something must be said. The court had only convicted, His Lordship had not yet pronounced their sentences. Perhaps something could still be done. His eyes scanned the crowded courtroom. It appeared he was looking for someone or something. Whatever he was looking for was not in the court. He turned back to His Lordship.

Oredein pleaded for leniency. In a very moving voice, he informed the court of his past travails: “First it was the treasonable felony and conspiracy trial, but I was acquitted at the Supreme Court. Second, the Aberenla murder trial came, and I was in custody for 11 months before I was freed at Ijebu-Ode High Court. I humbly plead for Your Lordship’s forgiveness.”

Of course you know the treasonable felony trial the Chief referred to. The Aberenla trial he mentioned was the case over the murder of Ogunkoya Aberenla who was the Leader of Ogere Remo's branch of Nigerian National Democratic Party of Chief Ladoke Akintola (Not to be confused with the party of the same name established by Herbert Macaulay in 1922). Aberenla's body was never found. Onigegewura will write about his mysterious disappearance soon.

Justice Adesiyun looked at the accused persons. “If you had any conscience, you should drop your heads in shame.” His Lordship observed that they were lucky not to have been caught by the amendment to the Robbery and Firearms Decree which provided death by public execution for convicted armed robbers and those found to have aided and abetted armed robbery.

His Lordship therefore sentenced each of them to life imprisonment. There was no Federal Court of Appeal in those days. It was only Western State that had a Court of Appeal and Kwara was not part of Western State.

The four of them ran all the way to the Supreme Court.

On May 3, 1973, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment. My Lord Justice Coker who delivered the judgment of the apex court dismissed the appeal of all the convicted persons and affirmed the life sentences imposed on them by the trial court.

Chief Rotimi Williams later became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Mr. Richard Akinjide became a Chief, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Attorney General of the Federation. Mr. Anthony Ekundayo, the DPP, was elevated to the Bench as a Justice of the High Court of Kwara State. The trial Judge, My Lord Adesiyun was also elevated. His Lordship served as the Chief Judge of Benue State from 1976 until his retirement in 1985.

History Does Not Forget! Historian is not a judge, History is.

Olanrewaju Onigegewura©