A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has ordered the remand in police custody, of a 36-year-old motorcyclist, Blessing Akinmade for allegedly killing a 71-year old man,Toyo Olanipekun, and burying his body in a shallow grave.

Magistrate Temilola Olusola-Olujobi, who did not take the plea of the accused, ordered that he be remanded at any police station against the next adjourned date.

Akinmade was dragged before the court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.

The suspect and others at large allegedly killed the 71-year-old farmer while working on his farm.

The incident repeatedly happened on June 6, 2024, at Igbobini in Ese-Odo local government area of the state during a dispute between Igbobini and Irele over a piece of land

LEADERSHIP learnt that a search for the deceased began when he did not return from the farm before his corpse was eventually discovered in a shallow grave behind a primary school in the area.

The corpse was said to have had machete cuts which led to the arrest of the suspect.

However, the Police Prosecutor, Abdulateef Sulaiman told the court that the defendant and others at-large committed the offense on June 24, 2024, at about 9 am at Igbobini.

The prosecutor accused Akinmade of unlawfully killed deceased Olanipekun, and buried him in a shallow grave.

The offences, according to the charge, contravened Sections 324, 316, 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 7, Volume 1 laws of Ondo State, 2026.

Sulaiman, however, prayed the court to remand the defendant through an application, at a correctional centre pending the issuance of advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

But the defense counsel, H. Orisatimehin sought an adjournment to enable his client react to the application sought by the prosecution.

The Magistrate, while adjourning the case till July 8, 2024 for the parties to move their applications, ordered the defendant to be remanded at any police station pending the date.