A witness involved in the armed robbery case that occurred in Offa, Kwara State on April 5, 2018, was arrested within the court premises on Friday.
The witness, Omolara Ogundiran, a graduate of Ire Poly, Osun State, is the younger sister of one of the accused persons, Niyi Ogundiran.
Omolara was apprehended by operatives of the state police command immediately after the day-long trial that commenced at 9:00 am. She was arrested around 3:40 pm.
During the trial, Omolara Ogundiran was called as a witness by the defense counsel, Mr. Mathias Emeribe. She presented a receipt issued by a spare parts seller in Osogbo, Osun State, claiming it was related to her brother’s purchase of spare parts on the day of the robbery.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Halimat Salman, rejected the admissibility of the receipt as evidence, describing it as a sham.
Justice Salman expressed skepticism about the sudden presentation of the receipt after approximately six years since the trial began, emphasizing that the court operates on legal principles, not applications.
She noted discrepancies in the signature on the affidavit and the receipt, declaring it lacked merit.
The case has been adjourned until Tuesday, April 9, 2024, for the adoption of written addresses by the counsels.
Following the arrest, the defense counsel, Mathias Emeribe, indicated that he was unaware of the reasons for Omolara’s arrest.
He expressed concern about the potential impact on her testimony and sought the protection of the court, which was granted until a ruling on the matter.
In response to the arrest, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacob (SAN), highlighted the potential consequences of attempting to deceive the court. He emphasized the contradictions in Omolara’s testimony regarding the issuance date of the receipt.
With both parties having closed their cases, the court is set to proceed to address and adopt written addresses, leading to an adjournment for judgment.