Ogun: 5 Egba Chiefs jailed for 6 months

 

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, sentenced five Egba Chiefs to six months imprisonment for maliciously damaging the sealed letter and removing the caution tape placed on Ogboni Igbore house, which was pasted by the Abeokuta South local government area.

The five Igbore Chiefs are Anthony Ogunseye, 55, (Apena of Igbore), Ajasa Enisemo, 67, Saheed Sanusi, 50, Oludotun Oliyide, 60, and Fatai Mutairu, 63. 

They were sentenced to six months imprisonment each.

They were convicted on a four-count-charge of conspiracy, malicious damage, conduct likely to cause breach of peace and stealing.

Delivering the judgment, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs E. O. Ogunyemi, said that the prosecutor had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the convict were guilty as charged.

Ogunyemi also held that the evidence, presented by the prosecutor, was tenable and therefore sentenced each of the chiefs to six months imprisonment, with an option of N50,000 fine each.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Rawlings told the court that the five defendants committed the offence on March 21, 2023, at about 12:15pm at the Ogboni House in Igbore area of Abeokuta in Ogun State.

She said the chiefs conspired among themselves to maliciously damage the sealed letter of Abeokuta South local government area that was pasted on the walls, doors and window of the Ogboni House.

According to her, the Ogboni house was sealed by the local government for security reasons following the crisis which erupted over a chieftaincy title in the Ogboni house.

She also said they conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by deliberately removing the caution tape placed on the Ogboni house.

“They also stole two billboards that was fixed on the two doors of the Ogboni Igbore house by the local government”, she said

The prosecutor said the offence committed contravene section 451, 516,249(d) and 383 of the criminal code Vol II laws of Ogun 2006.