Ondo Cleric Dragged To Court For Threatening To Kill Magistrate

Paul Oyewole, a clergyman, has been dragged before the Chief Magistrates Court in Ondo for allegedly threatening to murder a magistrate, Mosunmola Ikujuni.

Mr Oyewole allegedly threatened Mrs Ikujuni after he obtained the sum of 3 million naira from a complainant under pretence to return the fund in seven days but reneged.

The defendant, however, was arraigned in court before Magistrate Ikujuni on the money lending case where he was found guilty and blamed for reneging on his promise.

The decision of Mrs Ikujuni was said to have angered Mr Oyewole and he immediately threatened the magistrate should she refuse to favour him in the case.

Police prosecutor, Bernard Olagbeyi, told the court that Mr Oyewole also faked his death to avoid paying the debt which he allegedly borrowed from a member of his church.

Mr Olagbayi, who said the defendant committed the offences on July 21, 2023, at Oka in Ondo town, added that after he allegedly threatened the court magistrate, he also promised to give her money or a recharge card to favour him in the case.

He revealed further that the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace, by demanding the phone number of the magistrate to further threaten her.

The prosecutor’s charge sheet read, “That you, Paul Oyewole, on July 21, 2023 at Oka, Ondo in the Ondo Magisterial District, did write a threat letter to kill his worship, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni, if she refuses to listen to your warning and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 323 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of the Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you, Paul Oyewole on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, corruptly promised to give, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni money or recharge card to favour you in a case with charge number MOD/21c/2023, Commissioner of Police vs Paul Oyewole, in which you are a defendant, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 98a(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”

Mr Oyewole, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the prosecutor.

Presiding magistrate, Charity Adeyanju, later granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum and also adjourned the case to November 16, 2023, for further hearing.