*Gets option of N.5m fine
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
A former member of House of Representatives, Dr Folaranmi Oyebamiji was yesterday, sentenced to 16 months imprisonment with an option of fine by an Oyo State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogbomoso Town
The former lawmaker was found guilty of offences of conspiracy, false publication, forgery, threat to murder an Oko Town High Chief and his households, and conduct likely to cause breach of the peace.
Chief Magistrate Muedeen Salami in his 90 minutes judgment, however granted the former lawmaker a fine of N500,000 in lieu of the sentence.
The Chief Magistrate sentenced the former lawmaker to six months imprisonment on count of conspiracy with option of N150,000; there months for count 2 of false publication/defamation with fine of N150,000; six months for the offence of forgery with option of fine of N100,000; and one month for the offence of threat to murder with a fine of N100,000.
The sentence is to run concurrently, the Chief Magistrate ordered.
Chief Magistrate Salami in his judgment, sentenced the former parliamentarian to 16 months imprisonment with an option of N500,000.
The convict was subsequently whisked to the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo Town pending when he could settle the awarded option of fine
It would be recalled that the former House of Representatives member from Ogbomoso South was arraigned in 2021 by the Oyo State Police Command along with a 94-year old Oko Town traditional title holder, Mathew Wojuade Ademola, and five others. They included Wojuade Gbemiga, Wojuade Philip, Bello Semiu Opeyemi, Eyolade Joshua Adewumi, and Adeniyi Idowu. They were charged with alleged conspiracy to murder High Chief Solomon Ojedayo in Oko Town, a suburb of Ogbomoso.
While the prosecutor, Mr M.A. Ojei, represented the Commissioner of Police in the charge marked
MOG/190c/2021, Dr. Olutayo Oyewale holds the watching brief for the complainant, while Prince Niran Oyekale represented the defendants.
After the prosecution had called five witnesses against the defendants, the six other defendants except Oyebamji informed the court on December 22, 2023 through Dr. Tayo Oyewale, that they had deposed to separate affidavits in Ibadan High Court Registry in which they had settled with the complainant, High Chief Solomon Ojedayo. Their names were therefore struck out from the charge, leaving Oyebamji to open his defence to the charge brought against him.
