An Akure High Court has sentenced a self-style Prophet and Spiritual leader of Aiyetoro in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oluwambe Ojagbohumi to two years in prison for violence and breach of peace.
Justice David Kolawole in his 63-page verdict said Ojagbohunmi and his co-convicts were found guilty of three of the 10-count charges preferred against them by the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
The religious community of Aiyetoro has been engulfed in crisis since the death of Oba Gad Asogbon, the Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro, and the Spiritual head of Holy Apostles Church, the only worship centre in the entire community.
While Oba Michah Ajijo had been installed as the Monarch and Spiritual Head of the Community, the group loyal to Oluwanbe Ojagbohunmi kicked against the installation of the monarch.
The Presiding Judge however said the case before him was not a chieftaincy dispute but crimes relating to armed robbery, conspiracy, damage to property, and breach of peace.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Babatunde Falodun has slammed 10-count charges against Ojagbohumi, Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole, and Segun Okenla over the violence that erupted in Aiyetoro in January 11, 2018.
The charges read “That you Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole, and Segun Okenla on or about the 11th of January, 2018 around 9.00 a.m. at Aiyetoro community, Ilaje Local Government in the Okitipupa Judicial Division did conspire with others now at large to commit felony to wit: Armed Robbery.”
“Oluwambe Ojagbohumi, Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole Segun Okenla, and others now at large on or about the 11th of January, 2018 around 5.30 a.m. at Aiyetoro Community, Ilaje Local Government in the Okitipupa Judicial Division did rob Ashogbon Omowale in the house of his laptop and a sum of #380.000.00 and at the time of the robbery you were armed with offensive weapons to wit: guns and cutlasses.”
The convicts were accused of robbing Temitope Olowodasa of a sum of N270,000.00 in his house and at the time of the robbery they were armed with offensive weapons to wit: guns and cutlasses contrary to Section 1(2)(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Vol. 14, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convicts and others at large were accused of robbing Igoli Akinlana of four Industrial Sewing Machines valued at #800,000.00, four Plasma TVs valued at #448,000.00, and a cash sum of #635,000.00 in his house and at the time of the robbery they were armed with Firearms and Offensive Weapons such as guns, cutlasses, axes, and others.
Also, Ojagbohumi, Akinluwa, Ikuyelorimi, Lemamu, Eyekole, and Okenla were accused of conspiracy to conspire to commit felony to wit: malicious damage to property contrary to Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
However, Eyekole was accused of attempting to murder one Olu Obolo by shooting him with a gun contrary to Section 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
Although the suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them, the court however convicted them of malicious damage to property contrary to section 37 of the criminal code, laws of the State.
Justice Kolawole also sentenced Eyekole to five years in prison with hard labour for the attempted murder of Obolo in the coastal community of the State.
While the judge discharged and acquitted the convicts of armed robbery conspiracy, he however gave an option of fine for counts six, seven, and eight that related to malicious damage to property.
They were to pay #300.000.00 each as value for the damaged properties and #50.000.00 as the option of fine for the offences committed by the convicts. They were to sign a memorandum of understanding to maintain peace in the community.
Justice Kolawole said the convicts would be held responsible for any breach of peace in the community if they opted to pay the fine and the fine would be returned in case of violation of the peace accord
