A former banker turned businessman, Olufemi Olalekan Olushakin alongside two others have been charged before the Chief Magistrate Court in Ibadan, Oyo State for alleged robbery.
Olushakin —now at large— and the two suspects — Ayomide Akanbi and David Adewale— were alleged to have conspired to commit felony to-wit armed robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6 (B) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap RII Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Kefas Usman told the court that Olushakin —a former branch manager with a second generation bank and now Chairman of LAC Autos & Spare Ltd.— alongside Akanbi, Adewale and others on the night of Friday, December 13, 2024 allegedly forcefully gained entrance into Global Signature Hotel in Ibadan by disarming the security men at the gate.
Usman stated that the suspects made forceful and unlawful entry into the hotel, went straight to the control room, destroyed the CCTV memory and cut off the CCTV machine.
According to the prosecution, “After vandalizing it, they went to the POS machine, took the machines of the company, went to the manager of the hotel, one Dare Akinola, at gunpoint took him to the cash registry to collect all the sales of the week including room sales, lodgment, bar and hall payment totalling over N2,140,000 (Two million, One hundred and forty thousand Naira).
“They went to all the rooms, rounded up all the customers, and forcefully asked them to transfer money into Olushakin’s personal account during the robbery.
“At gunpoint, they gathered everybody to the reception, laid them down at gunpoint and in fear of their lives, the customers made cash transfers to Olushakin’s accounts, they vandalized some other things, took the lodgment book, computers, and other equipment.”
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Giwa Babalola, ordered that the suspects should be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Center in Ibadan. She adjourned the case till January 29, 2025 for further mention.
However, following Olushakin’s absence during the arraignment, the Oyo State Police Command has launched a manhunt for him with a bounty of N5 million placed on him for anybody with useful information leading to arrest.
The charge against them read: “Count 1: That you (1) Ayomide Akanbi ‘M’ (2) David Adewole ‘M’ and one Olusakin Olufemi Olalekan ‘M’ now at large on 13th December, 2024 at about 5:00pm at Global Signature Hotel, New Gbagi Road, Ibadan in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire together to commit felony to-wit Armed Robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 6 (B) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R II Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.
“Count 11: That you (1) Ayomide Akanbi ‘M’ (2) David Adewole ‘M’ and one Olusakin Olufemi Olalekan ‘M’ now at large on the same date, time and place in the above Magisterial District while armed yourselves with guns and some other dangerous weapons did attack one Akinola Dare ‘M’ and also dispossessed him of cash sum of Two Million, One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N2,140,000.00) only, property of Global Signature Hotel Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R II Vol. 14 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.”