The four suspects earlier arrested by the police, from left: Muhammed Shehu, 26, Mazaje Lawal, 40, Adamu Adamu, 60 and Awalu Abubakar,
Five more suspected killers of Mrs. Funke Olakunri, the 58-year-old daughter of the national leader of the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, have been arrested by the police.
Recall that the deceased was gruesomely murdered on July 12, 2019, by suspected kidnappers along the Ore-Lagos highway.
The suspects include Lawal Mazaje, 40, from Felele, Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, from Jada in Adamawa State; Mohammed Usman, 26, from Illela, Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar, 25, from Shinkafi, Zamfara State.
Four suspects had earlier been arrested by the police, in connection with the murder case and had been arraigned before the court.
They include Muhammed Shehu, 26, Mazaje Lawal, 40, Adamu Adamu, 60 and Awalu Abubakar, 25
They were arraigned on three-count charges of conspiracy to kill, murder, and kidnapping at an Akure High Court presided over by Justice Bode Adegbehingbe.
Their trials had been on since August last year, however with the additional five suspects arrested, this brought the total number of the suspects to nine.
The arrest of five more suspects by men of Force CID, SWAT in connection with the murder was revealed at the resume of the case at the court by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Grace Olowoporoku
She said that the five suspects were arrested following the continuous mentioning of their names during the investigation.
Olowoporoku, therefore, applied for a short adjournment to enable the prosecution to conclude an investigation on the new suspects.
She equally told the court that the IPO of the case was in court along with three of the suspects.
The trial judge, Justice Bode Adegbehingbe has adjourned the case till April 27, 29, 30, and May 5, 2021, for the continuation of the hearing.
Recall that the four suspected killers earlier arrested by the police were also alleged to have murdered one Ogunbiyi Matthew aged 65 and also kidnapped one Gerald Igboayaka the same day Funke Olakunri was murdered along Ore/ ljebu Ode Expressway on July 12th last year.
During the trial, the charges were interpreted to the four suspects in Hausa's language.
It reads “that Mohammed Shehu Is a Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire together to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 516 Of Criminal Code, Cap 37; Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State 2006.
“That Mohammed Shehu Is a Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July 2019 at about 0900hrs st Tollgate along Ore/Ijebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did murder one Olufunke Olakunrin (Nee Fasoranti) ‘for aged 58-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That Mohammed Shehu Usman, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12‘“ day of July 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did murder one Ogunbiyi Matthew ‘m’ aged 65-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal code, Cap36, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Mohammed Shehu, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July 2019 at Honorable Court did kidnap one Gerald Igboayaka and thereby committed and offense contrary to and punishable under Section 3(ii) (b) of the Ondo State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 2010”
The four defendants who had no representation in Court, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against them.