Court orders ex-PDP scribe, Aluko’s arrest for perjury

…As group urges IGP to protect Aluko over alleged threat to life

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti—A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday ordered the State Commissioner of Police to arrest former State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Temitope Aluko over alleged perjury.

Chief Magistrate Adesoji Adegboye, who granted the ex-parte motion, said the warrant of arrest was a means to get the offender to attend the court for his defence.

The matter was premised upon an application to the state Attorney General by a lawyer, Mr Sunday Olowolafe, calling for the prosecution of Mr Aluko for alleged perjury.

It would be recalled that Aluko had on Sunday granted a television station an interview, where he alleged that the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State was rigged in favour of Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Among the exhibits attached with the motion, were written statements of Tope Aluko on oath which he tendered before Ekiti state governorship election tribunals in 2014 before the tribunal.

The DPP urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the state because Aluko had given evidence under cross examination that the election which brought Fayose into power was free, fair and credible devoid of military harassment.

Chief Magistrate Adesoji Adegboye gave this order yesterday, upon a motion ex-parte number MAD/10cm/2016, filed by the Ekiti State Government against Mr Aluko and the State Commissioner of Police, pursuant to Section 117 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, law of Ekiti State 2012, Section 79 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2014 and Section 23 (D) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law 2014.

In the Motion, which was filed and moved by the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, an order of the court was sought to issue warrant of arrest against Mr Aluko to be executed by the State Commissioner of Police for the purpose of committing him (Aluko) to trial for the offence of perjury.

Chief Magistrate Adegboye said the order was granted as a means for the first defendant (Aluko) to attend the court for defence.

Issuing the warrant of arrest against Aluko, Chief Magistrate Adegboye said since the court had the power to grant the order and it will serve the interest of justice, the State Commissioner of Police should arrest Aluko for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting him.

When contacted, the Public Relation Officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Adeyemi Alberto said the command was not aware of the warrant issued by court ordering the arrest of the PDP secretary.

 Group wants Aluko protected

Meantime, a socio-political group within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Ekiti Reformer Movement, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to ensure protection for the party State Secretary, Dr Tope Aluko, over allegation of fake security men posing as policemen to arrest the party scribe on the order of the police authorities.