A self-styled traditional ruler and spiritual leader of the Ayetoro community, in the oil-rich Ilaje local government area of the state, Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, has been sentenced to two years in prison by an Ondo state High Court for breach of peace.
Justice David Kolawole said he found Ojagbohunmi and five others guilty of orchestrating the violence that erupted in the coastal community on January 11, 2018.
The six people including Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole, and Segun Okenla, were found guilty of three of the 10-count charges preferred against them by the office of the attorney-general and commissioner for justice.
The convicts, Ojagbohumi, Akinluwa, Ikuyelorimi, Lemamu, Eyekole, and Okenla were accused of conspiracy to conspire to commit a felony to wit: malicious property damage which is contrary to Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
They were also accused of robbing Temitope Olowodasa of a sum of N270,000 in his house and at the time of the robbery they were armed with offensive weapons to wit: guns and cutlasses contrary to Section 1(2)(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Vol. 14, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convicts and others at large were accused of robbing Igoli Akinlana of four industrial sewing machines valued at N800,000, four Plasma TVs valued at N448,000 and a cash of N635,000 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
All the suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them, but the court found them guilty and convicted them of malicious damage to property contrary to section 37 of the criminal code, laws of the state.
Justice Kolawole discharged and acquitted the convicts of armed robbery, conspiracy, but gave an option of fine for counts six, seven, and eight that related to malicious damage to property.
He, however, sentenced Eyekole to five years in prison with hard labour for the attempted murder of Obolo in the Ayetoro community.
