The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on Monday affirmed the conviction of the dethroned traditional ruler of Shangisha in Magodo, Mutiu Ogundare, for faking his abduction. The court, however, reduced Ogundare’s sentence from 15 years to 12 years.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja had sentenced Ogundare to 15 years imprisonment on September 27, 2022. Ogundare was charged alongside his wife, Abolanle, and his brother, Opeyemi Mohammed.
They were arraigned on three counts of breach of peace and fake abduction, preferred against them by the Lagos State government.
The lower court had discharged and acquitted Ogundare’s wife, Abolanle, stating she had no link to the crime. However, the court found Ogundare and Mohammed guilty as charged.
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Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ogundare approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the lower court. When the case was called on Monday, the lead Justice, Justice Peter Bassi, upheld the judgment of the lower court on counts one and two, but overturned the decision on count three. Other justices on the panel, Justice Bayero and Justice Folashade Ojo, agreed with the lead justice’s judgment.
Bassi stated that Ogundare’s appeal succeeded in part, and reduced his sentence to 12 years. The court held that the appellant would serve 10 years imprisonment for count one and two years for count two. On the third count, the court overturned the lower court’s sentence concerning false representation to release a kidnapped person.
The convict was first remanded on July 16, 2017, in Kirikiri Correctional Centre by an Ogba Magistrates’ Court for alleged fake abduction. The state had stated that the convicts committed the offences on July 5, 2017, along Centre for Management Development Road, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area. The state also said that Ogundare staged the kidnap to blackmail the state government.
