The Ajagun Ode of Ode in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Sunday Boboye, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Magistrate Court in Akure.
The traditional ruler was jailed for the illegal destruction of food crops and palm trees in his community.
After being found guilty of the six counts of felony with malicious damage, the defendant was sentenced by Magistrate Bukola Ojo.
While informing the court of the case’s facts, the prosecutor, Sergeant Ajiboye Babatunde, claimed that on September 20, 2022, at around 3 p.m., at the “Pastorate and Laity of the Apostolic Church Nigeria, along Ado Ekiti Road Igoba, Akure North, the pastor and others at large conspired to commit Felony to wit: Malicious damage.”
The Pastorate and Laity of the church’s perimeter fence, worth about N1 million, as well as palm trees and food crops, worth about N5 million, were said to have been illegally destroyed by the defendant.
Babatunde also claimed that the convict failed to provide a satisfactory explanation to the police after being apprehended.
Sections 516, 451, 249(d), and 81 of the Criminal Code Cap. 7 vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006, according to the prosecutor, were violated by the offense.
In order to serve as a deterrent to those who might engage in a similar behaviour, the prosecutor requested that the court punish him appropriately and called four witnesses to testify in court.
The court awarded the sum of N5 million naira as compensation to the complainant for the damage of the perimeter fence, palm trees and other crops.
Magistrate Ojo, however, ruled that if the convict could afford to pay the compensation, the imprisonment should be vacated.