Crime

Clergy to Spend Two Years in Jail for Perjury

By Web News 1082

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a clergyman, Pastor John Abiodun to two years imprisonment for lying and publishing false allegation.

 Pastor John Abiodun claimed that the founder of the Promiseland Prophetic Ministry, Akure, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi, planted seven babies’ placentas on the church’s altar.

The trial judge, Justice Bode Adegbehingbe, held that Pastor Abiodu was found guilty of committing perjury which is punishable under section 118 of Criminal code, laws of Ondo state.

But the court acquitted Professor Lanre Olu-Adeyemi of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko of allegations of aiding false publication, impersonation and conspiracy.

Delivering the over three hours judgment, the judge further ruled that Pastor John Abiodun was guilty of count 5 of the case for contradicting himself while giving evidence in the allegation against him.

These included using different church WhatsApp platforms and other social media to malign, carry out false publication and wrongly alleged the founder of the Promiseland Prophetic Ministry located opposite Shasha Market on Akure/Owo expressway, Akure, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi and some elders of the church of planting babies’ placentas on the church’s altar and some fetish objects.

The judge said although Pastor Abiodun was guilty of fourteen years imprisonment but tempered justice with mercy by jailing him for two years due to his aged parents and children.

Pastor John Abiodun faced eight Count charge of conspiracy, publication of false news, perjury, impersonation and threatening violence amongst other charges, but only found guilty of perjury, while Prof Lanre Olu-Adeyemi who stood trial on five (5) count charges of conspiracy, publication of false news, aiding publication of false news and aiding impersonation, was discharged and acquitted of all the charges.

Leke Adegbite

Politics

Ondo Court Reinstates State Assembly Deputy Speaker, Two Lawmakers

By Web News 889

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has reinstated the Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Iroju Ogundeji and two other lawmakers, who were recently suspended over alleged misconducts by the Assembly.

The court reversed the suspension of the members and ordered Ondo State House of Assembly to immediately pay all their entitlements and also pay them five million naira compensation to each of them.

Justice Ademola Bola, while giving the ruling, maintained that it was illegal to prevent an elected legislator from duly representing his/her constituency.

The House had suspended the three pro-Ondo Deputy Governor lawmakers, namely: Rt. Hon Iroju Ogundeji, Hon. Wale Williams from Ondo west constituency 2 and Hon. Favour Tomomewo from Ilaje 2.

The three lawmakers and the only ZLP member, Hon Tomide Akinribido from Ondo West Constituency 1 were among nine lawmakers who opposed impeachment plot against the state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi two months ago.

Akinribido is still in court, challenging his suspension for his alleged social media posts against the Assembly.

Leke Adegbite

Crime

Keke Driver Bags Life Imprisonment Over Rape of Minor

By Web News 802

The war against rape in the country has received a major boost when as a Keke NAPEP driver, Mr Blessing Kingsley, bagged a life imprisonment for raping a teenager in Ondo town.

Kingsley is to spend the rest of his life in prison for raping a 14-year-old girl and infecting her with Hepatitis B two years ago.

Justice Bode Adegbehingbe of an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, who gave the judgment after a two-year trial, said the weight of evidence proved without doubt that Kingsley was guilty of the one-count charge of rape.

Reacting the Ondo State prosecutor, described the judgment as another success in the campaign against rape.

Leke Adegbite

Crime

Ondo Court Sentences Killer Pastor to Death

By Web News 1552

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a Pastor, Kolawole Samson to death by hanging for killing one Ayo Olaniyi in a village near Okeigbo area of the state.

The trial judge, Justice Ademola Bola held that Pastor Kolawole was guilty of inflicting injury on the deceased’s head with a cutlass at Gberinlegi Village, via Okeigbo, which later led to his death at hospital.

Earlier the Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, represented by two government lawyers, Mr Olusegun Akeredolu and Mrs Omotola Ologun, had told the court that the pastor on 3rd of March, 2016, inflicted deep cut injury on the head of late Ayo Olaniyi when he went to hunt for frogs with his three other friends at a fish pond owned by the convict at the village, near Okeigbo.

The lawyers argued that the offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Laws of Ondo State (2006).

The accused person had claimed he was not guilty of the offence but in his judgment, Justice Ademola Bola ruled that all evidence adduced before the court during the trial in the last four years, showed that Pastor Kolawole was guilty of killing Olaniyi.

The judge held that Samson Kolawole should die by hanging.

Leke Adegbite