Tobias Sylvester
An Akure High Court in Ondo State has sentenced a Prophet and Founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Babatunde Alfa, and five workers of the church, to life Imprisonment for kidnapping a 13-month old boy, Gold Kolawole.
KanyiDaily had reported how the 13-month old boy got missing from the church on November 4, 2019, during a Sunday service, which later led to the burning of the church by angry mob on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.
Prophet Alfa and his five church workers – Omodara Olayinka, Margaret Oyebola,Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo and Esther Kayode – were sentenced after 11 months legal tussle over the mysterious disappearance of the little boy.
The convicts were sentenced on Tuesday, October, 6, 2020, by Justice Olusegun Odusola, on a two-count charge of kidnapping, conspiracy, aiding and abetting to kidnap preferred against them.
According to the trial judge, the accused persons were convicted based on the circumstancial evidence presented by the prosecution.
Justice Odusola condemned in strong terms the complicity, connivance and compromise of the Ondo State Police Command in the missing child saga.
Odusola ruled the lackadaisical attitude of Prophet Alfa showed his involvement in the disappearance of Gold Kolawole from his church in November last year.
Prophet Alfa and the five church workers were sentenced to seven years imprisonment on count one, which bordered on conspiracy to commit felony to with aiding and abetting kidnapping.
The Judge handed down life imprisonment on count two bordering on aiding and abetting kidnapping contrary to and punishable under the Section 5 of the Ondo State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Abduction law 2010.
The 7th defendant, Peter Anjorin accused of destroying evidence contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the criminal code law of Ondo State 2006, was discharged and acquitted for lack of substantial evidence from the prosecution.
KanyiDaily recalls that Prophet Alfa Babatunde had dragged the Department of State Services (DSS) to court for arresting and detaining him over the 13-month-old boy who went missing in his church.
