A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, sentenced five Egba chiefs to six months imprisonment for maliciously damaging the sealed letter and removing the caution tape pasted by the Abeokuta South Local Government on the Ogboni Igbore house.
The court, however, gave the chiefs option of a N50,000 fine.
The five Igbore chiefs are Anthony Ogunseye (55), the Apena of Igbore, Ajasa Enisemo (67); Saheed Sanusi (50); Oludotun Oliyide (60); and Fatai Mutairu (63).
They were convicted on a four-count charge of conspiracy, malicious damage, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and stealing contrary to sections 451, 516, 249(d) and 383 of the criminal code, Vol II, laws of Ogun 2006.
Delivering the judgement, the presiding magistrate, Mrs. E.O. Ogunyemi, said, “The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused are guilty as charged.”
Ogunyemi added, “The evidence presented by the prosecutor is tenable, and I therefore sentence each of the chiefs to six months, with an option of a N50,000 fine each.”
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Olaide Rawlings told the court that the five defendants committed the offence on March 21, 2023, at about 12:15 pm at the Ogboni House in the Igbore area.
Rawlings said the chiefs conspired among themselves to maliciously damage the sealed letter of the Abeokuta South local government that was pasted on the walls, doors and windows of the Ogboni House.
She explained that the Ogboni house was sealed by the local government for security reasons following the crisis which erupted over a chieftain title in the Ogboni house.
Rawlings said that the chiefs conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by deliberately removing the caution tape placed on the Ogboni house.
“They also stole two billboards that were fixed on the two doors of the Ogboni Ignore house by the local government,” she said
The prosecutor, however, said the offence committed contravened sections 451, 516,249(d) and 383 of the criminal code, Vol II laws of Ogun 2006.
(PUNCH)