Fawaz Adebisi
Pandemonium broke out on Monday when operatives of the Department of State Services reportedly stormed a high court in Ilaro with weapons, disrupting the hearing of a case about a crisis that occurred in Agosasa area in Ipokia local government area of Ogun State.
Causing chaos in the courtroom, the DSS reportedly whisked away two defendants in the case, Alhaji Fatai Isiaka and One Samuel Oyero, while the case being presided over by Justice A. A. Shobayo, was going on .
PLATFORM TIMES had reported the crisis rocking the town where property worth billions of naira was destroyed with one life lost over the Obaship tussle in Agosasa.
The invasion incident, which happened on Monday around 12:30 p.m., occurred during the trial of the case titled “The State vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others,” on allegations of arson brought forth by Chief Akeem Adigun, known as Socopao.
This is according to a statement on Monday obtained by PLATFORM TIMES from the counsel to Alhaji Isiaka, Kehinde Bamiwola Esq., who was also an eyewitness.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the arrest of the two defendants was ‘forcibly’ made despite the judge’s clear instructions to maintain order and respect the sanctity of the court.
Confirming this incident, the Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court, Ilaro, Comrade Omololu Olusanya described the incident as shocking and a lack of respect for the rule of law.
According to him, the judge had ordered the operatives not to make any arrest within the court premises but can do that outside its premises.
But “they still went ahead and did the act to the extent that they assaulted one of our staff members, Mrs. Fadina, while doing that act. It’s a very sad issue that caused a lot of noise within the court premises,” he lamented.
According to him, the operatives who stormed the disrupted proceedings were up to eight as they were all wearing covered faces.He said, “the DSS operatives numbering eight.
They were wearing black with covered faces. They looked like criminals. “It was from the source that we heard they were DSS agents. If anybody sees them, one would think they were armed robbers.
They came with sophisticated guns and arrived in an unregistered white bus.”On how he identified them as DSS operatives, Olusanya said the operatives had earlier approached the judge and identified themselves.
He said, “They did not wear anything that identified them as DSS, but they came to my lord this morning and said they had some people to arrest. That was when we knew they were DSS officers.
“They approached the judge before the court session began. The honorable judge advised them that if they wanted to make an arrest, it must not be done within the court premises.
“They could stay outside and do whatever they wanted, but they refused that advice and carried out the arrest within the premises.
“The arrest was carried out while the proceedings were ongoing; the court had to adjourn because the noise was too much.
“It happened around 12:30 p.m., while the court was still in session.”
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