Following their plea for settlement, a Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Ogbomoso, on Friday discharged a nonagenarian, Chief Mathew Wojuade Ademola and five others, standing trial for alleged forgery and threat to life against High Chief Solomon Ojedayo.
In a suit number: MOG/157c/2021, Chief Magistrate Muideen Salami, also struck out their names from the charges brought against them by the Oyo State Police Command.
However, the court ordered the seventh defendant, Folaranmi Oyebamiji (56)- a former lawmaker and international parliamentarian, who was also charged with forgery and publication of false documents against the complainant, to enter his defence on Thursday, since he was not part of the settlement deal.
Other defendants initially arraigned before the Ogbomoso Chief Magistrate Court are: Wojuade Gbemiga (53), Wojuade Philip (46), Bello Semiu Opeyemi (34), Eyolade Joshua Adewumi (27), and Adeniyi Idowu (40).
While Olutayo Oyewale held the brief of the nominal complainant, Mr. M. A. Ojei, represented the prosecution, and Prince Niran Oyekale appeared for all the defendants.
Delivering his ruling on the case, Magistrate Salami declared that “having gone through the report of settlement contained in the December 12, 2023 individually- sworn affidavits, coupled with photographs showing the accused persons sitting in a convivial atmosphere with the complainant, the names of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th accused persons are all struck out of this charge since the prosecution has agreed to discontinue with the charge against them.”
The Magistrate specifically hinged his ruling on paragraph 18 of the sworn affidavits where the defendants said that: “All heirs of Kaa Section of Elejemu’s compound and their guest from Saare Section of Elejemu’s compound pledged allegiance to the Oloko of Oko land, Oba (Dr.) Solomon Olagoke Adisa Akinola Oyeyode III, and also, to the High Chief Solomon Adekola Ojedayo, the recognised Elejemu of Oko land of Kaa Section Elejemu’s Compound respectively”.
In the five-count charge offence, preferred against them, the defendants had allegedly on January 2020 conspired and conducted themselves in manner “likely to cause breach of peace of the state contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
“Beside, they allegedly forged signatures on letters and other documents written with the letter-head of Oba Oladunmoye Adaramola Oyenubi dated May 29, 2011, purportedly confirming the title of Elejemu of Oko Land on Wojuade Mathew Ademola and knowing it to be false and with intent that it may be used or in any way acted upon as genuine.”
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