Sotitobire: Prophet Babatunde Alfa arraigned in Akure court over missing one-year-old boy

The founder of the Sotitobire Miracle Centre, Prophet Babatunde Alfa, has been arraigned before a magistrate court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Prophet Alfa was brought into the Oke-Eda court premises by operatives of the Department of State Services [DSS] at on Monday in a white Hiace Toyota bus with number plate AKR – 54-AM.

WuzupNigeria reports that the cleric was arraigned over alleged complicity in the disappearance of a one-year-old child, Eniola Gold Kolawole, from his church on November 10, 2019.

Eniola was declared missing after the church programme at Sotitobire Miracle Centre after his mother, Mrs Modupe Kolawole, dropped him off at the church’s children department.

Eniola’s parents, who are members of the church, had accused the pastor of knowing the whereabouts of the child.

A month after, Prophet Alfa was arrested by officials of the DSS following a petition by the missing boy parent over the alleged failure by the Nigerian Police to intervene in the situation.

The situation reached its crescendo on December 18, 2019, when angry youths attacked and razed the church over rumours that the corpse of the missing baby was exhumed from the church altar.

The 42-year-old Prophet was arraigned alongside six workers of the church on a three-count charge.

The charge sheet read,

“That you Prophet Alfa Babatunde ’m’, Omodara Olayinka ’f’, Margaret Oyebola ‘f’, Grace Ogunjobi ‘f’, Egunjobu Motunrayo ’f’, Esther Kayode ’f’, Peter Anjorin ‘m’ others now at large on the 10th day of November 2019 at about 11:45 am at Sotitobire Praising Chapel, No. 48, Solagbade Street, Oshinle Quarters, Akure, Ondo State in the Akure Magisterial District did conspire together to commit felony to Wit: Kidnapping and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. I, Laws of Undo State 2006.

“That you Prophet Alfa Babatunde ’m’, Omodara Olayinka ’f’, Margaret Oyebola ‘f’, Grace Ogunjobi ‘f’, Egunjobu Motunrayo ’f’, Esther Kayode ’f’, Peter Anjorin ‘m’ and others now at large on the 10th day of November 2019 at about 11:4Sam at Sotitobire Praising Chapel, No. 48, Solagbade Street, Oshinle Quarters, Akure, Ondo State in the Akure Magisterial District did aid the kidnap of one Gold Eninlaloluwa Kolawole ’m’ aged 13-month and -thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 5(i) of the Ondo State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 2010.

“That you PETER ANJORIN ‘m’ on the 10th day of December 2019 at about 2:00 pm at the premises of the Department of State Service, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State in the Akure Magisterial District did destroy evidence by secretly taken away the vital evidence that would have aid speedy investigation in respect of the missing child (Gold Eninlaloluwa Kolawole) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State 2006.”

As at the time of filing this report the case is still ongoing.