An Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta has discharged and acquitted the Baale of Apena Town, Obada-Oko, High Chief Abiodun Okuboye Gbadamosi, of allegations bordering on robbery, land grabbing, and violent entry into disputed property.
Justice A.A. Babawale, in a ruling delivered absolved the traditional ruler of all charges, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle that involved accusations of forcible occupation and destruction of property.
The prosecution, led by Assistant Chief State Counsel P.A. Odeyemi, had arraigned Chief Gbadamosi on a two-count charge under the Ogun State Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Cultism and Other Anti-Violence Related Offences Law, 2016.
According to court documents, the defendant and others said to be at large were alleged to have, on or about August 24, 2023, at Aro Village, Obada-Oko in the Ewekoro Local Government Area, forcefully gained entry into a fenced parcel of land while allegedly armed, and destroyed the fence and corner pieces of the said land.
The petitioner, Mr. Rasaq Ogunsola, along with other residents of the disputed area, had claimed that the traditional ruler led thugs to forcibly take possession of the land, in what they described as an “illegal and intimidating show of force.”
Several witnesses were called by the prosecution, including landowners and community leaders who testified to the alleged destruction of the fence and the presence of armed men during the incident.
They also accused the Baale of attempting to unlawfully extend his authority beyond his domain by claiming ownership of the contentious land.
However, after a careful review of the evidence presented, the court held that the prosecution failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the alleged offences.
Justice Babawale, in his ruling, noted that the contradictions in the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and the absence of direct evidence linking the defendant to the crime raised serious doubts about the credibility of the case.
Consequently, the court ordered the discharge of Chief Gbadamosi and described the case as one rooted more in a civil land dispute than a criminal act.
The judge also urged parties involved to explore peaceful resolution and legal land documentation processes rather than resorting to criminal allegations in resolving boundary or ownership conflicts.
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