Seven individuals charged in connection with the murder of Mojisola Awesu, a final-year student at the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, have pleaded not guilty before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
According to Channels, Justice Ibrahim Yusuf presided over the arraignment, where the defendants maintained their innocence.
The suspects had been previously remanded in a correctional facility due to the absence of their legal representatives at an earlier hearing.
The state’s Director of Public Prosecution, Idowu Akande, urged the court to proceed with the trial immediately after the suspects entered their pleas.
However, the defense team objected, stating that they were not prepared for the hearing as the previous adjournment was strictly for arraignment. Acknowledging this, Justice Yusuf postponed the hearing to March 12, 2025.
The prosecution alleges that two prime suspects, Happiness Adebayo and Timileyin Kolawole, conspired to lure Awesu to Ilorin on August 9, 2024, where she was subsequently murdered. Her body was later disposed of at a dumpsite in the Warah community, Ilorin.
Happiness Adebayo’s parents, Adeniyi and Bukola Adebayo, face charges of conspiracy and tampering with evidence, offenses punishable under the Kwara State Penal Code Law of 2006.
Additionally, Adeoye Adeola, Lawal Aminat, and Peter Bulus have been accused of conspiring to dispose of Awesu’s remains. Their actions fall under the Kwara State Prohibition of Dealing in Human Parts Law, 2018.
