The Court of Appeal Lagos Division on Monday affirmed the sentence of the dethroned Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Lagos State, Mutiu Ogundare, for faking his abduction.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High in Ikeja had on September 27, 2022, sentenced the convict to 15 years imprisonment.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ogundare approached the court to challenge the decision of the lower court which sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
However, when the case was called on Monday, Mr Jubril Kareem announced his appearance for the respondent, while Mr Kayode Ojo appeared for the appellant.
Delivering judgment, the lead Justice of the three-man, Justice Peter Bassi, who read the verdict, upheld the judgment of the lower court in counts one and two and upturned count three.
Other Justices of the panel are Justice Bayero and Folashade Ojo, who agreed with the lead justice.
Bassi said that Ogundare’s appeal succeeded in part and reduced his sentence to 12 years.
The court, however, held, “The appellant is to serve 10 years imprisonment, for count one and two years for counts two, respectively.”
On the third count, the court upturned the sentence in respect of false representation to release a kidnapped person.
The convict was first remanded on July 16, 2017, in Kirikiri Prison, by an Ogba Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly faking his kidnap.
Ogundare was prosecuted alongside his wife, Abolanle and brother, Opeyemi Mohammed.
They were arraigned on three counts bordering on conspiracy, breach of peace and fake kidnapping, preferred against them by the Lagos State government.
Justice Oshodi, on June 15, 2022, convicted Ogundare and his brother Opeyemi Mohammed and reserved judgment till September 27, 2022.
Before their conviction, Ogundare’s counsel Olarewaju Ajanaku, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Punch
