The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has discharged and acquitted the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Akure, Babatunde Alfa, who was earlier convicted by the state High Court over the missing of a one-year-old boy, Gold Kolawole.
It was reported that Babatunde Alfa was found guilty alongside other 5 members and sentenced to life imprisonment on a two-count charge of conspiracy as well as aiding and abetting kidnapping of a one-year-old at Sotitobire Praising Chapel in Akure, Ondo State capital.
The presiding judge, Olusegun Odusola, said prosecutors have proven beyond reasonable doubt that the suspects committed the offenses.
On Friday, December 3, 2021, the Appeal Court ruled that the circumstantial evidence the High Court based its judgment is not enough to convict him, which made him be discharged and acquitted.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye who is also the prosecutor in his reaction disclosed that the state government would study the judgment before deciding on the next step to take on the matter.
He said, “The court has affirmed that DSS can investigate any case and does not have a jurisdictional problem to investigate a case like this.
However, the court has stated that the circumstantial evidence upon which the conviction was based upon at the lower court is not enough to sustain the conviction of the defendants. Our attitude from the state is that we study the judgment and take the proper steps we are supposed to take on the matter.”
The counsel to the appellant, who was represented by Akinyemi Omoware, said the court judgment had shown that truth would prevail over falsehood.
“It was held that the appellant was not found culpable of the alleged offence. He is not guilty as pronounced upon by the trial court. We are using this medium to tell the members of the church and the general public that they should rejoice with a conscience. They should not go out causing problems. They should take it as the will of God. We are happy about this,” the counsel said.