Alaafin’s impersonators arraigned in court

A syndicate which specialised in defrauding foreigners using the name of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has been nabbed and charged to the court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Although other members are on the run, three members of the syndicate were arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court at Iyaganku, Ibadan, last Friday.

The defendants, who claimed to be Ifa priests of Ijo Ifa Adimula Temple, Bara, Oyo, included Ikusanu Faleye, Fasola Olaniyan and Olaniyan Awoyemi.

The trio faced a four-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, impersonation, forgery and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

In his submission, the prosecutor, Fatola Sunday, explained that the defendants and others impersonated the Alaafin and bestowed non-existing chieftaincy title of Oba Ifa Adimula of South America on some foreigners.

The prosecutor also added that the defendants forged chieftaincy title certificates and presented same to Franciva Leoa Nobres, whom they named Ifatowo Adebayo; Dasiel Guerra, Awotunde Ajisola; and Jose Lara, named Ifakayode Falade.

The offences, the prosecutor stated, were punishable under sections 517, 484, 467 and 249 (d) criminal code Cap 38, Vol. II laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.