The alleged killers of a 7-year-old Kazeem Rafiu have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and murder.
This followed the arraignment of the two suspects, four years after they allegedly committed the offence.
Adedoyin Oyekanmi and Erinmole Adetokunbo denied killing the boy on Monday at their arraignment before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja.
In 2017, 26-year-old, Erinmole and Adedoyin were remanded in prison custody in connection with the death of Kazeem Rafiu.
When the matter was called, the court registrar read charges: “That you, Adedoyin Oyekanmi and Erinmole Adetokunbo, on June 7, 2017, at about 2pm on Oke-Oniburokun Street, Odokekere, Ikorodu, Lagos, in the Ikeja jurisdiction, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: murder, thereby committing an offence.
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“That you, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned jurisdiction, did kill one Kazeem Rafiu, aged seven, by cutting off his head with a cutlass, thereby committing an offence.
“That you, without lawful justification or excuse, dismembered the remains of one Kazeem Rafiu, aged seven.”
Erinmole and Adedoyin was said to have lured the boy from his parents’ house on Sotunyo Street to the church’s premises on Oke-Oniburokun Street, Odo-kekere, Ikorodu where he was said to have been killed.
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Also the defendants were said to have beheaded him and buried the head around the church’s altar, while the body was kept in a canal.
Erinmole was later apprehended by residents. He was said to have confessed to to the crime with Adedoyin.
Upon denying the allegations against them, the judge fixed November 6, 2021 for commencement of trial
