Bode Durojaiye, Oyo
Justice O.O. Olatunji of an Oyo High Court was angry on Friday, no thanks to the inability of state counsel, Kayode Babalola, to present vital documents to prosecute the suspects in the alleged kidnapping of a prominent businessman and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief Adebowale Omotoso.
The suspects, charged with conspiracy and kidnapping, are
Shittu Olaide, Bisi Adetutu Babatunde, Ajayi Olaniyi, Ayobami Babatunde, Oladipupo Abayomi and Hassan Aliyu.
They allegedly kidnapped the businessman in Awe, Afijio Local Government, Oyo State.
The judge was angry with Babalola for doing a shoddy job and wasting the time of the court.
She, however, adjourned the matter to March 7 and 8 for hearing.
Justice Olatunji, who was unhappy with the development,
described the counsel’s excuse as “mere story telling” and warned that she would no longer tolerate frivolous moves to adjourn cases in the interest of fairness and justice.
She said: “Justice delayed is justice denied, hence the need for all stakeholders in this matter to ensure that there is thorough dispensation of justice with unhindered proceedings”.
Omotoso, his relations and friends were also in court to witness the proceeding.
When he was kidnapped, the abductors demanded for N100 million from his family members.
He was later rescued by men of the Oyo/Ogbomoso team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at a village in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
