Court Jails Ondo Traditional Ruler, Others Over Communal Crisis

GISTSMATE MEDIA reports that the traditional ruler of Ayetoro, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment over a violent crisis in his community in 2018.

The state High Court on Monday in Akure found Mr Ojagbohunmi guilty of breach of the peace but cleared him of the charge of robbery.

The traditional ruler was convicted along with five other accused persons.

They are Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole and Segun Okenla.

The judge, David Kolawole, found them guilty of three out of the 10 counts charge preferred against them by the state.

The convicts were accused of “conspiracy to commit felony to wit: malicious damage to property which is in contrary to Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.”

They were also accused of robbing one Temitope Olowodasa of N270,000.00 in his house while armed with guns and cutlasses.

The prosecution said the offences are 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 also accused of robbing another person, Igoli Akinlana, of four industrial sewing machines valued at N800,000, four Plasma TVs valued at N448,000 and a cash sum of N635,000.

One of the convicts, Mr Eyekole, was accused of attempt to murder one Olu Obolo by shooting him with a gun, an offence in breach of contrary to Section 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

The prosecuting counsel, Babatunde Falodun, told the court that Mr Ojagbohunmi and others were brought before the court over violence that happened in Ayetoro in January 2018 among other charges.

The charges read as follows: “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 his house of his laptop and a sum of N380.000.00 and at the time of the robbery, you were armed with offensive weapons to wit: guns and cutlasses.”

All the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them, but the court found them guilty and convicted them of malicious damage to property contrary to section 37 of the criminal code, laws of the State.

While Mr Kolawole discharged and acquitted the convicts of the charge of armed robbery and conspiracy, he gave an option of fine for counts six, seven and eight that related to malicious damage to property

He, however, sentenced Mr Eyekole to five years in prison with hard labour for the attempted murder of Mr Obolo in the Ayetoro community.

The convicts are to pay N300,000 each as value for the damaged properties and N50,000, as an option of fine for the offences committed.

The judge, however, ordered that the convicts should sign a memorandum of understanding to maintain peace in the community.

He said the convicts would be held responsible for any breach of peace in the community if they opted to pay the fine but breach the peace agreement.