An Akure High Court has sentenced a self-styled prophet, and spiritual leader of Aiyetoro in Ilaje council area of Ondo State, Oluwambe Ojagbohumi, to two years in prison for violence and breach of peace.
The judgment, delivered by Justice David Kolawole, found Ojagbohunmi and Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole, and Segun Okenla guilty of three out of the 10-count charges brought against them by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
The charges stemmed from the violence that erupted in Aiyetoro community on January 11, 2018.
The prosecuting counsel, Babatunde Falodun, outlined the accusations, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, malicious damage to property, and an attempt to murder
The charges alleged that the convicts robbed Temitope Olowodasa of N270,000 in his house and at the time of the robbery they were armed with offensive weapons with guns and cutlasses.
Also, the convicts and others at large robbed Igoli Akinlana of four Industrial Sewing Machines valued at N800,000.00, four Plasma TVs valued at n448,000.00, and a cash sum of N635,000.00 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.
While the suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the court convicted them of malicious damage to property.
Justice Kolawole sentenced Eyekole to five years in prison with hard labor for the attempted murder of Olu Obolo during the violence contrary to Section 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
For counts six, seven, and eight related to malicious damage of property, the convicts were given an option of fine, each paying N300,000.00 for damaged properties and N50,000.00 as an option of fine.
In addition, the judge ordered them to sign a memorandum of understanding to maintain peace in the community, holding them responsible for any breach of peace.
