Dethroned Lagos traditional ruler sentenced to 15 years in prison for faking own kidnap

A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja has sentenced the dethroned Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Mutiu Ogundare, to fifteen years imprisonment for faking his own kidnap.

The sentence was handed down by the judge, Hakeem Oshodi, on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. 

Mr. Ogundare was arraigned alongside his wife, Abolanle, and one Mohammed Opeyemi, by a police prosecutor, Peter Okerinmodun, on a three-count charge of fake kidnapping and causing breach of public peace.

The court on June 15 discharged and acquitted Ogundare’s wife, Abolanle that she had no link to the offences.

Justice Oshodi had on June 15 convicted Ogundare alongside Opeyemi Mohammed on a three-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and fake kidnapping.

Justice Oshodi sentenced the duo to 10 years jail term to count one without an option of fine, count two to a year with an option of N200,000 fine and count three to 15 years without an option of fine.

“I have considered the allocutus of the defence counsels. However, it is in the view of this court that the defendants showed no remorse during the trial.

“In fact, the first defendant tried to buy his way out of the court. A lesson has to be thought to serve as a deterrent to others.

“The defendants are hereby sentenced to 10 years to count one without an option of fine, one year to count two with an option of N200,000 and 15 years to count three without an option of fine. The sentencing shall run concurrently from the day they had been arrested,” Oshodi said.

Mr Olarewaju Ajanaku who represented the first defence counsel, Dr Muniz Banire, in his allocutus on June 15 prayed the court to temper Justice with mercy.

Ajanaku had prayed to the court that the convict had turned a new leaf and did not think through his action when he committed the offences.

The second defence counsel, Dr Olayinka Owoeye, also in his allocutus had prayed the court to temper justice with mercy adding that the convict had learnt his lessons.

The state prosecutor, Mr Jubril Kareem, however, urged the court to apply the provisions of law to sentence the convicts. 

The said kidnap took place on July 5, 2017, but Ogundare later confessed to security services that he staged the kidnap to blackmail the state government.

In the same month, Akinwunmi Ambode, former governor of Lagos, ordered the removal of Ogundare as the baale of Shangisha.