An Ondo State Chief Magistrates’ Courtroom in Igbokoda has sentenced the Baale of Ebute Ipare Neighborhood in Ilaje Native Authorities Space of the state, Francis Ogundeji, to 3 years’ imprisonment for disobedience to a courtroom order.
The judgement was delivered on Monday by Senior Justice of the Peace E.A Manuwa, however a duplicate of the ruling was made obtainable to our correspondent on Thursday.
In keeping with the judgement, Ogundeji and one Ikuejamoye Thomas had been charged with promoting land in the neighborhood in November 2022, in opposition to a courtroom order.
It was gathered that the state Excessive Courtroom sitting in Okitipupa and a magistrates’ courtroom in Igbokoda had restrained folks from promoting the land.
Nonetheless, the standard ruler, in collaboration with Thomas, defied the courtroom order and offered the land.
The convicts had been additionally charged with falsehood, as they backdated the receipt of the land sale. They confronted 4 counts, together with contempt of courtroom and falsehood.
Throughout the proceedings, the costs had been learn to the defendants in English and interpreted into Yoruba to the satisfaction of the courtroom.
The cost sheet learn: “That you simply, Francis Ogundeji ‘M’, a farmer, and (2) Ikuejamoye Thomas ‘M’, a pensioner, and others at giant, on a date in November 2022 at about 12 p.m. at Ebute Ipare Neighborhood within the Igbokoda Magisterial District, did conspire collectively to commit an offence, to wit, contempt of courtroom, and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable underneath Part 517 of the Prison Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Legal guidelines of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you simply, Francis Ogundeji ‘M’, a farmer, and (2) Ikuejamoye Thomas ‘M’, a pensioner, and others at giant, on the identical date, time, and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District, did disrespect the order of the courtroom delivered on the tenth of April 2019 in Swimsuit No: HOK/51/2018 by promoting Ebute Ipare Ogunowo descendant land and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable underneath Part 133 (9) of the Prison Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Legal guidelines of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you simply, Francis Ogundeji ‘M’, a farmer, and (2) Ikuejamoye Thomas ‘M’, a pensioner, and others at giant, on the identical date, time, and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District, did forge the land receipt of Ebute Ipare Neighborhood Ogunowo descendant land by backdating the receipt of sale to learn November 2022 as a substitute of sixteenth April 2017, understanding it to be false, and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable underneath Part 467 of the Prison Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Legal guidelines of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you simply, Francis Ogundeji ‘M’, a farmer, and (2) Ikuejamoye Thomas ‘M’, a pensioner, and others at giant, on the identical date, time, and place within the aforementioned Magisterial District, did disrespect the courtroom order delivered on the eleventh of September 2018 in Swimsuit No: MKD/3M/2018, which was presided over by His Worship E.A Manuwa, Justice of the Peace Grade I on the time, over the tussle of the land committee of Ebute Ipare Neighborhood, and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable underneath Part 133 (1 & 9) of the Prison Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Legal guidelines of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
The Justice of the Peace discovered Ogundeji and Thomas responsible of the offence in depend three and sentenced them to 3 years imprisonment with an choice of a superb of N150,000 every.
Nonetheless, the courtroom discharged and acquitted Thomas on counts one, two, and 4.
The Justice of the Peace dominated: “The primary defendant, Ogundeji Francis, is hereby sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment on depend one or to pay the sum of N30,000 to the state authorities as a superb.
“The primary defendant, Ogundeji Francis, can be sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment or to pay the sum of N30,000. The second defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted of the offence in depend two.
“In depend three, each the primary and second defendants are sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment every or to pay a superb of N150,000 every to the state authorities.
“The primary defendant, Ogundeji Francis, can be sentenced to at least one month’s imprisonment or to pay the sum of N30,000 to the state authorities. The second defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted of the offence in depend 4.”
Nonetheless, the courtroom dominated that the phrases of imprisonment for the primary defendant would run consecutively.