BY LEKE ADEGBITE
Father of the one year old boy that got missing at the sotitobire praising chapel Akure in November last year, Temitope Kolawole has testified at the
ongoing trial of the church’s founder prophet Alfa Babatunde and six other members.
The Court Presided over by Justice Olusegun Odusola also admitted as evidence the statement of Temitope Kolawole made at the anti kidnapping section of the Ondo state police Command presented by the defence counsel.
Prophet Babatunde and others were returned to the Olokuta facility of the nigeria correctional service for continuation of hearing tomorrow.
After about thirty five days of adjournment, prophet Alfa Babatunde and his six church members who are co defendants are back in court in the ongoing trial on a three count charge including conspiracy to and abetting kidnap over the dissapearance of one year old Gold Kolawole in the church last year.
They were made to undergo Covid 19 precautionary measures like hand washing before access into the court Chambers which also had less people with compulsory use of face masks.
After appearances by Counsel, the third and star witness, for the prosecution, Temitope Kolawole, father of the missing boy was examined by the state led by the director of public prosecution, grace Olowoporoku for over four hours.
Kolawole told the court how he was allegedly harassed and his cloth torn by loyalists of prophet Babatunde in the church before he ran to the Deji of Akure’s palace during in the search for his one year old son.
He also alleged that fourteen children teachers in the church claimed to have gone to throw away thrash while his son got Missing.
While being cross examined by the defence counsel, Olusola Oke, Olumide Ogidan, Akinyemi Omoware, Kolawole said he got to know the prophet in June 2019 and denied allegation that he was refused visa on the allegations that he was on the watch list by the US government for criminal charges.
A mild drama however ensued when the prosecution tried to prevent the defence from tendering Kolawole’s statement made with anti kidnapping unit of the ondo state command of the nigeria police on the basis that it was not part of the earlier listed documents.
Justice Olusegun odusola however ruled that the anti kidnapping unit statement made on the 14th November 2019 be admitted saying it substantially complied with section 104 of the evidence act.
The Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice Adekola Olawoye and the defence counsel expressed satisfaction with the proceedings.
Prophet Babatunde and his co defendants were thereafter returned to the Olokuta Prisons facility of the nigeria correctional service for continuation of hearing on Wednesday 3rd june 2020.
Hmm, Nigeria 🥺