By Morenike Oluwatoyin
An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced Sunday Arowosoki and Gbolaga Arowosoki to fifteen months imprisonment each for conspiracy to commit unlawful assault, malicious damage and unlawful damage of two shops.
The charge reads that Sunday Arowosoki (25) and Gbolaga Arowosoki (23) on 17/04/2022 around 10:00am at Ayegunle Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, did conspire to commit felony to wit, assault and malicious damage, unlawful assault on Chief Mrs Rachael Arowosoki and unlawfully damaged two shops, property of Chief Mrs Rachael Arowosoki, contrary to and punishable under sections 421, 185 and 354 (1) (8) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
In her statement to the police, the victim said, I am a trader, I got married to late Jimoh Arowosoki over 45 years ago with 6 children. After the death of my husband, his siblings accused me of witchcraft who was responsible for the death of my husband and some members of the family, the case was reported to kabiyesi Alayegunle who dismissed the allegation for being frivolous and unsubstantiated.
Thereafter, the defendants mobilised other members of the family, they were armed with cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous weapons with intention of killing me but I managed to escape and ran to the palace. When their mission could not be accomplished they went to my shop erected in front of my house and destroyed it.
The matter was reported at Ijero Police Station, the defendants when arrested were seen with dust all over their body, on enquiry they confessed that the dust all over their body was from the shop they just destroyed, she concluded.
To proof his case, the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Elijah Adejare called three witnesses and tendered statements of the victim, statement of the defendants, hospital receipts and admission card among others as exhibits. The defendants spoke in their own defence through their counsel Adegboyega Falowo and called three witnesses.
In his judgment, Magisrate Olatomiwa Daramola said, I am therefore of the firm view that the evidence led by the prosecution in the circumstances of this case in counts 1 and 3 is adequate enough, since the evidence did implicate the defendants regarding the commission of the offences as charged against them.
I therefore hold that the prosecution has proved the offences as charged in counts 1 and 3 against the defendants in the presence of cogent and compelling evidence before this court. They are hereby found guilty and convicted accordingly in counts 1 and 3 of the charge.
In count one (Assault) the defendants are sentenced to three months imprisonment each or fine of N10, 000, in count two (Malicious damage) the defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted and in count three (Unlawful damage) the defendants are sentenced to one year imprisonment each or fine of N10, 000 in lieu of imprisonment.The terms are to run concurrently while the fine is consecutively, Daramola said.
