Magistrate Court sitting at Osi town in Akure North council area of Ondo state, has sentenced a monarch, the Ajagun Ode of Ode community, Oba Adewale Sunday Boboye, to 10 years imprisonment for unlawfully demolishing palm trees and food crops.
Oba Boboye was earlier charged with malicious damage.
The trial Magistrate, Mrs Bukola Ojo, sentenced the convict to 10 years after founding him guilty of the charges preferred against him.
Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Ajiboye Babatunde, said the convict, and others at large “on September 20, 2022, at about 3:00 pm at the ‘Pastorate and laity of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, along Ado Ekiti Road Igoba, Akure North conspired to commit Felony to wit: malicious damage”.
Babatunde equally alleged that the convict unlawfully demolished the perimeter fence of the pastorate and laity of the Church, valued at about one million naira, demolished the Palm trees and food crops valued at about five million and also demolished the signpost of the church.
He added that the convict, when arrested, could not give a satisfactory account to the police.
Babatunde called four witnesses to testify in court and asked the court to punish him accordingly so as to serve as a deterrent to others who might indulge in a similar act.
But the convict, through his defence counsel, Adeola Kayode, denied the allegations levelled against him. He urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Delivering judgement, Magistrate Ojo, convicted and sentenced the accused to prison for a period of two years in count one with an option of fine of N20,000.
Magistrate Ojo said that “On count two and three, the defendant is sentenced to two years imprisonment each with no option of fine and another one year jail term with an option of fine of N10,000.
“On count five, the defendant is sentenced to an imprisonment for a period of two years with no option of fine while on count six, the defendant is sentenced to an imprisonment for a period of one year with an option of fine of N20,000.
The court, thereafter awarded the sum of N5 million naira as compensation to the complainant for the damage of the perimeter fence, palm trees and other crops.
Magistrate Ojo, however noted that “if the convict pays the compensation, the imprisonment would be vacated. She added that the imprisonment was to run concurrently.
source: vanguard
