An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Thursday ordered road transporter union leader Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, to start his defence.
This happened after it dismissed a no-case submission filed in his ongoing murder trial.
Lamidi, former Chairman of the Oyo State Park Management System, is standing trial on a one-count charge of murder instituted against him by the state government.
The defendant, through his counsel, Mr E. O. Mbah, had filed a no-case submission, urging the court to discharge and acquit him on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.
However, Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi, in a ruling, held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendant.
The judge ruled that Lamidi had a case to answer and consequently ordered him to enter his defence.
Ajayi thereafter adjourned the case until March 2 for defence.
Lamidi was arraigned in 2024.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr Olubisi Bolarinwa, had opposed the no-case submission and urged the court to dismiss the application.
Bolarinwa told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on Sept. 23, 2023, at about 4.30 p.m. at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Agodi, Ibadan.
He alleged that the defendant caused the death of one Ms Wonuola Ayinde by knocking her down with his vehicle.
According to him, the offence contravenes Section 325 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
