Admin l Wednesday, February 28, 2018
ILARO, Ogun, Nigeria – The Ilaro Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Yewa South Local Government of Ogun State has discharged and acquitted nine people who allegedly assaulted the priest of Cathedral Church of Christ (Anglican Communion), Venerable Nathaniel Bamidele Oluwatade.
The defendants including Gbenga Elegbede and his wife, Bukola; Oke Atunrase, his wife, Elizabeth; Solomon Adeniji, his wife, Adedeji; Adebisi Ogunwunmi; Ololade Akinwunmi and Omoniyi Adedeji, were arrested sometimes on 1st of May, 2016, arraigned before Chief Magistrate E. A. Adekunle on a five count charge of conspiracy to assault Venerable Oluwatade.
Besides, the defendants allegedly conspired to breaching religion peace as well as attempted to kidnap the Anglican priest. But in a No Case Submission filed by counsel to the accused Segun Koleola in charge MLO/77c/016, his Worship Olakuleyin Oke discharged and acquitted all the defendants , as he concluded that the police have failed to prove their case against all the accused but were ‘playing to the gallery when they charged the accused persons to the court.’
In the ruling, after the prosecution led by Sgt. Ibrahim Azeez closed its case, Magistrate Oke observed that the prosecution called only one witness, Sgt. Rodoye Oladimeji whose only connection to the alleged crime was that he obtained the statements of the accused persons following their arrest.
According to the court, the witness said: “An unnamed authorities did not give him room to conclude investigation due to the religious nature of the case.”
Magistrate Oke thereafter held: “The accused persons in this case stand charged with the offence of conspiracy, assault, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, disturbance of religious worship and attempt to kidnap one Venerable Oluwatade. The prosecution is therefore required to establish the ingredients of these offences to such a degree as would require the court to call on the accused persons to enter their defence.
“The police called only one witness and tendered 12 exhibits through him. Exhibits P1, P2 and P3 being extra judicial statements of one Venerable Oluwatade. It is trite that in criminal cases, the prosecution can discharge the burden of proof placed upon it through either the confessional statement of the accused, circumstantial evidence or eye witness evidence.”
The court further held that it was apparent that there was nothing linking the accused persons to the commission of any of the counts as stated in the charge sheet.
“None of the essential elements of any of the counts has been established by the prosecution. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there was no eye witness evidence in this case, no circumstantial evidence and no confessional statement upon which the court can find a basis to call the accused persons to enter their defence.
“Therefore, without wasting any further time, this court from the foregoing cannot call the accused persons to enter their defence because there is nothing to defend. A prima facie case has not been made out requiring an explanation from any of them. The No Case Submission made by counsel succeeds and consequently this court discharges all the accused persons.”
It would recalled that the church located at Ona-Nla Quarters, Ilaro, had been in the news for the wrong reasons following sustained intrigues and leadership tussle. Hell was let loose in March 2016 when some members reportedly discovered during a revival programme that unauthorised pillars were erected at four corners of the church building, as well as inside the worship hall, leading to a breakdown of peace and welding of it’s entrance.
Our correspondent recall that the Cathedral Church of Christ (Anglican Communion), Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State has been engulfed in crisis following allegations of high handiness and perceived discreet moves by Venerable Oluwatade aimed at transforming himself into the Provost of the church against the wish of the congregation.
