Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of an Osun State

traditional ruler, Oba Taofeeq Osunmakinde, at the Kuje Prison in Abuja over

an allegation of illegal gold mining.

Justice Emeka Nwite made the remand order shortly after the monarch, who

is the Obawore of Ifetuntun in the Ife Central Local Government Area of

Osun State, was arraigned alongside four others on two counts bordering on

illegal gold mining, including the monarch are Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru

Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim and Ade Olap Global Resources Limited.

In the charge, the Attorney General of the Federation accused the five

defendants of conspiring with others at large on August 25, 2024, to engage

in the illegal gold mining at the Ogunlepo mining site in Lege community,

Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, and acted contrary to Section

3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2004 and were liable to punishment

under Section 1(8) of the same Act, and all the defendants pleaded not guilty

to the charges when read to them.

Following their no-guilty plea, counsel for the Federal Government,

Toluwalope Ojo, asked Justice Nwite to give a date for the commencement of

trial, while, the defence counsel, Vincent Ododo, on his part, prayed the court

to grant his clients bail on various grounds.

The Federal Government’s lawyer did not oppose the bail applications, and

urged the judge to impose conditions that would ensure their appearance in

court for their trial, while, in a brief ruling, Justice Nwite granted each of the

defendants bail in the sum of N20m with one surety in the like sum and

adjourned till September 26 for hearing.