Court Sentences Ondo Traditional Ruler to Prison For Contempt, Falsehood Charges
An Ondo State Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Igbokoda, has sentenced the Baale of Ebute Ipare Community in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, Francis Ogundeji, to three years imprisonment for disobedience to court order .The judgement was delivered on Monday by Magistrate E.A Manuwa but the copy of the judgement was made available to journalists yesterday.According to the judgement, Ogundeji and one Ikuejamoye Thomas were charged to court for selling a land in the community in November 2022, against a court order.
It was gathered that the state High Court sitting in Okitipupa and a magistrate court, Igbokoda, had restrained people from selling the land but the traditional ruler in collaboration with Thomas went ahead and sold the land.The convicts, who were charged on four-count charge bothering on contempt of court and falsehood was said to have backdated the date on the receipt of the sale of the land.
At the proceeding, the charge was read over to the defendants in English Language and interpreted to them in Yoruba Language to the satisfaction of the court.The magistrate, Mr E.A Manuwa found Ogundeji and Thomas guilty of the offence in count three and were sentenced to three years imprisonment with option of fine of N150,000 each. But the court discharged and acquitted Thomas on community count one, two and four.The magistrate ruled: “The first defendant Ogundeji Francis is hereby sentenced to three months imprisonment on count one or pay the sum of N30,000.00 to the purse of the state government as fine.
“The first defendant Ogundeji Francis also sentenced to three months imprisonment or pay the sum of N30,000.00. The second defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted of the offence in count two.“In count three, both the first and second defendants are sentenced to three years imprisonment each or pay a fine of N150,000.00 each to the purse of the state government.
“The first defendant Ogundeji Francis is also sentenced to only three months imprisonment or pay the sum of N30,000.00 to the purse of the state government. The second defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted of the offence in count four.”
The court, however, ruled that the terms of imprisonment of the first defendant runs consecutively in count.
