Stop Dropping Charms In My Court Room- Lagos Judge Cries Out

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of Ikeja High Court yesterday warned the public to stop dropping charms in his courtroom.

He said charms would not affect him or prevent him from adjudicating on the murder trial before him.

Justice Oshodi issued the warning while presiding over the trial of five men charged with the murder of Ifeanyi Etunmuse.

READ ALSO: Kano Guber: Ajadi Expresses Confidence In Supreme Court, Says Appeal Judgement Can’t Stand Test Of Time

The judge told the public to desist from leaving charms in his courtroom and warned against a repeat of the incident.

It was gathered that a talisman was found in the courtroom after the last sitting of the court on the murder case.

The judge, who issued the warning in Yoruba language, said: “Do not leave your property here again. It doesn’t work anymore.”

Earlier during the trial, the defence counsel, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness, Babatunde Olayinka.

Ajanaku is the lead defence counsel for the first, second,  third and fifth  defendants.

He had asked Olayinka whether the defendants had a hand in the attack on the deceased and if he was able to get a view of the compound of the local politician and funeral services businessman, Oluwatosin Onamade, from his hiding place.

The witness, Olayinka, told the court that he hid himself in the cemetery, and laid down for a while to hide himself from a group of men that he saw wielding machetes in front of Onamade’s compound on the day of the incident, April 16, 2021.

READ ALSO: ‘Ignore Rumour Mongers, No Tension Here Over Appeal Court Judgement’

The witness told the court that while hiding from the machete-wielding men, he turned around and saw a body beside him.

Ajanaku asked the witness, “Can you say emphatically that the first, second, third and fifth defendant had anything to do with the body?”

The witness replied that he could not say emphatically that the defendants had anything to do with the body.