The arraignment of three suspects arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a Federal Road Safety Corps officer attached to the Ogun State Command, Funmilayo Lasisi, and her daughter, Adesewa, before the Osun State High Court in Osogbo was stalled on Monday due to the absence of defence counsel.
Fajemirokun Victor and two others had earlier been arraigned before an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in connection with the alleged crimes.
On Monday, officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service brought the three suspects before Justice Yinka Aderibigbe.
However, the charge could not be read to formally commence the trial because no lawyer appeared to represent the defendants.
An Assistant Director at the Osun State Ministry of Justice, Muyiwa Ogunleye, announced his appearance for the prosecution, but no lawyer appeared for the defence.
Addressing the court, Ogunleye said the prosecution had yet to serve the defendants with copies of the court processes relating to the case. He assured the court that the documents would be served before the next sitting.
Justice Aderibigbe adjourned the case until December 8, 2026, for the defendants to enter their pleas and for a possible hearing. She also urged journalists to report the proceedings fairly and diligently to avoid misinformation.
The judge further directed that counsel must represent the defendants at the next sitting.
Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, Ogunleye said, “The defendants were to be arraigned today, and they were brought to court this morning, but they were not represented by any lawyer. That is why the case could not go ahead.
“Going by the offence they have been charged with, which is a capital offence, they must be represented by counsel. Also, on our side, we are yet to serve them a copy of the information, which we have promised the court will be done before the next adjournment.
“In an attempt to serve them this morning, the Correctional Centre officials said the information should be brought to the Correctional Centre, Ilesa, which I have designated one of my colleagues to ensure the service of the information, together with the hearing notice, on the defendants tomorrow, October 13, 2026.
“The case has been adjourned to December 8 for the plea of the defendants and possible hearing of the case. We will ensure we bring our witnesses on that day and open our case. We have lined up eight witnesses. We have four police officers and four civilian witnesses, and we believe that on the next date, we should be able to assemble a substantial number of prosecution witnesses to open our case.”
The PUNCH earlier reported that an Osun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo remanded three suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Funmilayo Lasisi, an FRSC officer attached to the Ogun State Command, and her daughter, Adesewa, at the Ilesa Correctional Centre until February 6.
The suspects — Gboyega Daramola, 39; Sunday James, 38; and Fajemirokun Victor, 36 — were arraigned before the presiding magistrate, O. A. Daramola, on Friday in suit number MOS/M-53/2026.
They were brought before the court by the Osun State Commissioner of Police, who filed an ex parte motion seeking an order to remand them pending legal advice from the Ministry of Justice.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Babawale Taiwo, urged the court to remand the defendants pending advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The affidavit was obtained by PUNCH Online in Osogbo.