25 Ajayi Crowther varsity students arraigned, remanded for ‘killing’ colleague

25 students of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU) have been arraigned at the Oyo state magistrate court over the alleged killing of their colleague.

Alex Timilehin, a 200-level Mechanical Engineering student, was recently beaten to death by some of his colleagues over alleged phone theft.

The varsity earlier announced that the students had been expelled.

Last week, the institution’s authorities declared a three-day mourning for the deceased student.

Timothy Adebayo, the varsity vice-chancellor, revealed that 20 students were arrested and handed over to the police.

He added that following preliminary investigations, 12 of the students were detained.

But in a charge signed by Fawole Funke, the Oyo police prosecutor, the students were arraigned over “felony to murder” which is punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

The school porters were also arraigned over “unlawful omission to rescue the deceased student from other aggrieved students”.

“MARTINS ‘M’, on the 24th day of May, 2024, at about 9:00pm, at Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo in the Oyo Magisterial district triable in the Ibadan Magisterial district did Conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: Acceleration of death and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000,” the charge reads in part.

“COUNT IV: That you OLADOVE FEMI OLA ‘M’ and KEHINDE OLABUSUYI MARTINS ‘M’, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district being the security guard and Porter employed by the University did unlawfully omit to rescue one AKRO JEFRY ‘M’ AGE 22YRS from other aggrieved students who beat him to death and thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“COUNT V: That you LAWAL VICTOR TOMILOLA ‘M’, OMOLAKIN OLUWATOMIWA ANTHONY ‘M’, OLUWOLE OLANSHILE THOMPSON ‘M FOLORUNSHO OLUWAKUNMI ‘M’, MUSTAPHA USMAN SEGUN ‘M’ and others now at large, on the 24th day of May, 2024, at about 9:00pm, at Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo in the Oyo Magisterial district triable in the Ibadan Magisterial district did Conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: Trial by Ordeal and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oye State of Nigeria, 2000.

“COUNT VI- That you LAWAL VICTOR TOMILOLA ‘M’, OMOLAKIN OLUWATOMIWA ANTHONY ‘M’, OLUWOLE OLANSHILE THOMPSON ‘M’ FOLORUNSHO OLUWAXUNMI ‘M’, MUSTAPHA USMAN SEGUN ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district did unlawfully Directs a trial by ordeal by beating one AKRO JEFRY ‘M’ AGE 22YRS with planks, electrical wire and cutting his hair with intent to force him to confess to the crime of stealing of a phone which led to his death and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 208 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.”

The magistrate ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison till July 8 pending their trial.