Metro

Pastor Sent To Prison For Raping Two Church Members

Published

12 months ago

April 17, 2023

A Lagos-based pastor, Daniel Oluwafeyiropo popularly known as Bishop Feyi, has been sent to prison by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court pending the time he fulfilled his bail conditions for allegedly raping two of his church members.

Justice Ramon Oshodi remanded the founder of the “I Reign Christian Ministry” in Kirikiri Correctional Centre until his bail conditions were met.

Oshodi set bail at N20 million with two sureties in the same amount.

He stated that one of the sureties must be the owner of a build-up property in Lagos State, with a value sufficient to cover the bail amount.

“The original document of the landed property must be submitted the chief registrar of Lagos State.

“The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must have three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State,” he said.

The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the court’s chief registrar and accelerated the case’s hearing.

Oshodi adjourned the case until May 9 for trial.

Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr Olukunle Oyewole, urged the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms in his bail application dated April 10.

Oyewole argued that the defendant had been on administrative bail with the police since May 20, 2023, and had made himself available to them.

He said, “My lord, the defendant was not informed on the day the matter came up for the first time before this court.

“The defendant is a well-known religious leader and he has shown by his action that he will not jump bail.”

“The offence for which he is charged is a bailable offence and he has credible sureties that can stand for him,” he added.

Mr Babjide Boye, the state’s lead prosecution counsel, urged the court in his counter-affidavit dated April 14 to deny the defendant’s bail application, but left it up to the court’s discretion.

Boye, on the other hand, argued that the offense was serious and that the likelihood of conviction would put the defendant at risk of fleeing.

“There is also a possibility of the defendant interfering with the prosecution witnesses.

“He is a bishop of so many branches and if granted bail, he may use his position to influence the prosecution witnesses as he is regarded as a man of authority who has the possibility of committing the same crime.

“We urge the court to deny the defendant bail because he has failed to provide the court exceptional circumstances to grant him bail,” the prosecutor submitted.

Bishop Feyi had previously been charged with rape on two counts.

He, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The defendant allegedly committed the offenses in June 2020 at Ikota Villa Estate in Lekki, Lagos, according to the prosecution.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence violated Sections 260 (2) of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015.

Metro

22-year-old Man Arrested With Arms, POS Machine In Edo

Published

15 hours ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 22-year-old man, Francis Okoye Obinna, for possession of arms and ammunition.

Spokesperson of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who made this known in a statement on Monday, April 15, 2024, said the suspect was arrested along the Benin-Lagos expressway during a stop and search operation.

According to the PPRO, a POS machine, a Brownie Pistol, and 9 rounds of 6mm ammunition were found in his possession.

“This young man Francis Okoye Obinna ‘m’ age 22 years old, boarded a bus from Lagos heading to Anambra State was intercepted by operatives of the Edo State Command while on purposeful stop and search along Benin-Lagos expressway on 07/04/2024,” the statement read.

“During the search, the following exhibits were found in his possession; a Brownie Pistol with breach No. PZ1833, 9 rounds of 6mm ammunition and a POS Machine

“In his confessional statement, he said it was one man called Emma in Lagos that gave him the gun to use it to threaten one Mr. Paul Okoye who he alleged to have killed his father with a charm I Anambra State

“Furtherance to their investigation, the operatives of the Command embarked on investigation activities to Lago to ascertain the truth about his statement. On getting to Lagos, it was discovered that the suspect was telling lies about his confessional statement

“Investigation continues to know how he came about the gun and the POS, what he used it for,” the statement reads.

Metro

Man Jailed 27 Years For Stealing N2.3m In Ekiti

Published

18 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division has sentenced a 22-year-old man, Dipo Femi, to 27 years imprisonment for conspiracy, burglary and stealing.

The sentences which will run concurrently from the day of arrest included seven years each for three charges (21 years) and three years each for two charges (six years).

Femi was arraigned on July 19, 2022, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and other offences, contrary to Sections 421, 324 and 302 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

According to the charge, Femi and others, now at large, on March 14, 2022, at 5:30 a.m., at Oke Ureje, Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did conspire and break into the shops of Victor Mark, Clement Moses and Samuel Lucky and stole various items.

Items stolen during the burglary, according to the charge, included “men’s and ladies’ wears, jewellery, footwear, cash sum of N200,000, perfumes, body spray, fez caps among others valued at N2.150m”.

The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, and bond to produce as exhibits while the defendant spoke in his defence through his counsel, Chris Omokhafe, and he called no witnesses.

In the judgment, Justice Blessing Ajileye said, “I will not hesitate to hold that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the basic elements of stealing against the defendant and I so hold.

“In counts 1, 2 and 4, (conspiracy and burglary) the defendant is convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment each and in counts 3 and 5, the defendant is sentenced to three years imprisonment each, time of the imprisonment are to run concurrently from the date of arrest,” the judge pronounced.

Metro

Imo Police Nab Notorious Kidnap Kingpin, Recover Snatched Vehicle

Published

21 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Imo State Police Command Anti Kidnapping Unit led have apprehended a notorious kidnap kingpin, 40-year-old Aralu Chukwudi Charis of Nnewi North LGA of Anambra State.

A statement released by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Henry Okoye, says the arrest was made following credible intelligence and a well-coordinated operation that led the operatives to the criminal hideout of the suspect at Mgbidi in Oru East LGA of Imo State on April 13 where he was ambushed and eventually arrested.

He stated that the suspect masterminded several kidnapping and armed robbery operations in Imo State.

“On searching his hideout, one Ash Coloured Toyota Camry, 2005 model, with reg no; MUS 509 DS Lagos, reportedly snatched was recovered. In the course of investigation, he confessed that he is the gang leader of a deadly criminal syndicate terrorizing the people of Imo State and provided crucial information that will assist the determined operatives in the arrest of his syndicate at large.’‘ the statement reads in part

The police added that the suspect will be arraigned in court upon completion of a comprehensive investigation.

The statement added that the state Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, therefore reiterated the Command’s commitment to continually clamp down on unrepentant criminal syndicate perpetrating insecurity in the State.

He noted that CP advised the residents of Imo State, particularly the youths to eschew crime, warning that perpetrators will always be exposed and in most cases, end up in tragedy.