An Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, on Monday, sentenced six individuals to a two-year imprisonment for engaging in violence and disrupting the peace in the coastal community of Ayetoro, situated in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, self-proclaimed spiritual leader of the community, along with Victor Akinluwa, Isaac Ikuyelorimi, Lawrence Lemamu, George Eyekole, and Segun Okenla, have been sentenced to two years in prison. They were apprehended by the police on January 11, 2018, for their involvement in the violence that erupted in the riverine community of Ayetoro, resulting in injuries and property damage. The charges brought against them included 10 counts related to violence and breach of peace.
Initially, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Babatunde Falodun, filed a 10-count charge against Ojagbohunmi, Akinluwa, Ikuyelorimi, Lemamu, Eyekole, and Okenla in connection to the January 11, 2018, incident in Ayetoro.
According to the prosecution, the convicted individuals were in violation of Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006. Additionally, George Eyekole faced a separate charge of attempting to murder Olu Obolo by shooting him with a gun during the crisis, contravening Section 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
Although the accused individuals pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them, the court found them guilty of malicious property damage, as per Section 37 of the Criminal Code in the state.
In his verdict, Justice David Kolawole declared the convicts guilty of the offense and sentenced them to two years of hard labor. Notably, Eyekole received a five-year prison term with hard labor specifically for the attempted murder of Obolo during the disturbance.
However, with the exception of Eyekole, the judge granted them an alternative to pay a fine of N50,000 for the committed offenses. Additionally, they were each ordered to compensate N300,000 for the damaged property.
Justice Kolawole emphasized that the convicts would bear responsibility for any future breach of peace in the community. Furthermore, in the event of a violation of the peace agreement, the fine would be refunded.
“If there is a breach of peace in the community and any of the convicts is charged to court, the prison term that had been suspended, through the payment of the fine, will be reinstated and the fine paid will be refunded by the government,” the judge ruled.