Appeal Court Nullifies Life Imprisonment of Ondo Pastor Over Disappearance of One-Year-Old Boy

Appeal Court Nullifies Life Imprisonment of Ondo Pastor Over Disappearance of One-Year-Old Boy

Fidelis David in Akure

An Appeal Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday upturned the life imprisonment conviction against the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Akure, Prophet Alpha Babatunde, over the disappearance of a one-year-old baby from his church.

It would be recalled that an Ondo High Court in Akure led by Justice Olusegun Odusola had on October 6, 2020 sentenced the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Prophet Babatunde Alpha and five others to life imprisonment over the disappearance of the one-year-old boy, Gold kolawole in November 2019 during church service.

The pastor and five other members of his church which include Omodara Olayinka, Margaret Oyebola, Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo and Esther Kayode were sentenced on a two-count charge of conspiracy as well as aiding and abetting kidnapping.

But not satisfied with the judgement, Prophet Alpa through his counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, in September, 2021 asked the Appeal Court to nullify his life sentence conviction by the Ondo State High Court.

Delivering his judgement yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice Hammah Barka, ruled that the circumstantial evidence relied upon by the High Court was not enough to convict Babatunde.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the state government who doubles as the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Titiloye Charles, disclosed that the state government will study the judgement before taking action.

He said: “The Court of Appeal has decided this matter. The court has affirmed that the DSS can as a matter of fact investigate any case. However, the Court of Appeal has stated that circumstantial evidence upon which was based upon by the lower court is not enough to sustain a conviction of the defendant and has discharged the defendant.

“Our attitude from the state is that we will study the judgment and take a proper step we are supposed to take.”

Also, counsel to the appellant Awomolo, represented by Akinyemi Omoware, said truth has prevailed over falsehood.

He said: “It was held that the appellant was not found culpable of the alleged offence. He is not guilty as pronounced upon by the trial court.

“We are using this medium to tell the members of the church and the general public that they should rejoice with a conscience. They should not go out causing problems. They should take it that, that is the will of God. We are happy about this.

“One of the defendants who is Motunrayo Ogunjobi has equally been discharged. The court said there is no iota of evidence against her just like the Prophet, that they don’t know about the commission of the offence.”

He noted that, “the basis was that the prosecution has failed in its entirety to prove the element of the alleged offence. The implication is that they were convicted wrongly by the lower court. They have been justified by the Court of Appeal.

“We are happy that God has vindicated him. I think that should be enough. He is a Prophet of God. It has been destined that he will walk this way and pass-through this challenge. Whatever compensation that anybody may think he is entitled to, that will not be enough to justify.”

Meanwhile, the baby still remained missing and nothing has been heard about his whereabouts.

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