Court Sentences Prophet Sotitobire,Five others to life imprisonment

Justice Olusegun Odusola of the Ondo state High Court in Akure has sentenced the Founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Prophet Babatunde Alfa and 5 others to life imprisonment over the disappearance of one year old gold kolawole in the church last year.

Justice Odusola convicted the defendants having found them guilty of the two count charge of kidnapping and aiding and abetting to kidnap based on the circumstancial evidence presented by the prosecution.

According to the trial judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola of the Ondo State High Court, the accused persons were convicted based on the circumstancial evidence presented by the prosecution.

During the five hours judgment, Justice Odusola who condemned in strong terms the complicity, connivance and compromise of the Ondo State Police Command in the whole saga stated that the lackadaisical attitude of Prophet Alfa was a pointer to his involvement in the disappearance of the missing child, Gold Kolawole from his church in November last year.

On the count one charge, Prophet Alfa and the five church workers were sentenced to seven years imprisonment over conspiracy to commit felony to with aiding and abetting kidnapping while life imprisonment were handed over to them on the second count charge for aiding and abetting kidnapping contrary to and punishable under the Section 5 of the Ondo State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Abduction law 2010.

The other convicted church worker are, Omodara Olayinka, Margaret Oyebola ,Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo and Esther Kayode.

Meanwhile, the 7th defendant, Peter Anjorin was discharged and acquitted after lack of substantial evidence from on the part of the prosecution.

Anjorin had been accused of destroying evidence contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the criminal code law of Ondo State 2006.

Earlier, Justice Odusola struck out an application by Prophet Alfa’s counsel to Olusola Oke seeking to vacate his order that he should be investigated.

The judge at last sitting had ruled that Mr Oke be investigated by the Department of State Services, DSS following some allegations raised by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adekola Olawoye.

Justice Odusola however at today’s sitting struck out the application dated 29 September 2020 after Mr Banjo Ayenakin who stood in for Olusola Oke moved a motion for adjournment of hearing of the application to enable him file his counter affidavit to the state’s reply.

State counsel, John Joshua dada said he was ready with the case, but Mr Ayenakin insisted on an adjournment and withdrew from the case when the judge did not budge on his request.

Justice Odusola therefore struck out the application since there was no longer an applicant and proceeded to deliver judgement in the trail of Prophet Alfa and the other church members.

Prophet Alfa who is the founder of the popular church which is located at Oshinle quarters area of Akure, the state capital was accused by the parents of the missing child over the mysterious disappearance of their son who had not been seen till date.