The Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ekiti State, Mr Rotimi Agbede, was on Wednesday brought before a Magistrate Court for disrupting the peace within the Ekiti State Police Command in Ado Ekiti.
Mr Agbede was arraigned alongside a member of the union, Olaoye Oba, for fighting at the police headquarters over seemingly irreconcilable crisis brewing in the union.
The charge sheet, according to the police prosecutor, Oriyomi Akinwale, read: “That you, Samuel Agbede and Olaoye Oba on 23 December, 2016, at the State Police Headquarters premises under Ado Ekiti Magisterial District did engage yourself in a fight.
“You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 83 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ekiti State 2012”.
However, the embattled RTEAN chair pleaded not guilty to the charge after which his lawyer, Tajudeen Lamidi, urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms considering his status in the society.
After listening to the argument of the defendant’s counsel, Chief Magistrate Idowu Ayenimo granted the two accused persons bail in the sum of 20,000 Naira with one surety each in the like sum who must also be resident of Ado Ekiti with a verifiable address.
The presiding Magistrate subsequently adjourned the case till January 20 for further hearing.
It was reliably gathered that Oba had gone to the police station to report the RTEAN boss on December 23, when the RTEAN chair, who is an ally of Governor Ayo Fayose, was in conflict with Oba who is a supporter of an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Femi Bamisile.
Oba had written a petition to the Police accusing Agbede of spearheading attacks on APC members and other RTEAN members who are supporters of Bamisile shortly after the aspirant held a political meeting with his supporters on the same day, December 23.
