The trial of suspects in the murder of former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Omolafe Aderiye, appears to have hit a snag.

The accused persons in Aderiye’s murder are; Adebayo Aderiye, Adeniyi Adedipe, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu.

The personal assistant of the deceased, Gbolahan Okeowo, is the star witness in the murder trial.

But on Monday, the star witness confessed that he was ‘tutored’ by officials of the Ayo Fayose administration to implicate the accused persons and Adedeji Adesokan, a security aide to former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Okeowo admitted at the Akure Division of the Federal High Court, that the seven accused persons were in fact innocent of the crime, pointing out that he was simply acting the script of Fayose’s aides.

He said: “I state categorically that persons standing trial for the murder of Omolafe Aderiye in charge no: HAD/12C/2014: The State v Adebayo Aderiye and six others, were not involved and neither did they participate in Aderiye’s murder on the September 25, last year.

“Soon after Governor Ayo Fayose was sworn in, I was invited by Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, who was the Special Adviser (Legal) to Dr. Fayose who produced the statement I had given to the police on September 26, last year, wherein I wrote concerning what I witnessed to the effect that I did not recognise any person as the assailant and neither did I mention the names of the persons standing trial as the suspects in the said statement.

“I was put under considerable pressure, including threats to my life and family, to write another statement which was tendered in court on October 7, the content which were dictated to me by Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, in company of Mr. Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the governor sometimes in October last year, which I backdated to September 26, last year on their instructions.

“The statement which I tendered in court was made in the office of Owoseni Ajayi at the Attorney General’s chambers, who in conjunction with Mr. Lere Olayinka provided me with the names of Adebayo Aderiye, Adeniyi Adedipe, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Adenijo Olusola, Adedeji Adesokan (Jarule) and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu and dictated to me what to write concerning them.

“Since I wrote the statement, I have been reporting to the office of Mr. Owoseni Ajayi at his office at Ministry of Justice, State Secretariat, Ado Ekiti, occasionally on his instruction.

“I emphatically state that none of the persons standing trial and/or indicted for the murder were present and/or participated in the killing.

“I made this affidavit for record and official purposes and state that I have not been induced in any manner whatsoever by any manner whatsoever by any person (s) to make this affidavit, and I did same of out my own free will and according to the dictates of my conscience and upon a reflection as to the nature of the sentence for murder.

“I have since been receiving daily threats to my life and grievous bodily harm from Mr. Owoseni Ajayi and Mr. Lere Olayinka in the event that I renege on my statement.”

Kolapo Olapoju