By Sade Adewale, Ondo
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A 45-year-old Clergyman, Paul Oyewole, has been dragged before the Chief Magistrate Court in Ondo town, for threatening to kill a Magistrate, Mrs Mosunmola Ikujuni.
The prosecution alleged that Oyewole entered the office of Magistrate Ikujuni, and allegedly dropped a threat letter to kill her should she refuse to listen to his warning without his consent.
The defendant, who is standing trial in a case with charge number: MOD/21c/2023, before the magistrate, was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N3million from a complainant with the pretense of returning the same within seven days, which he reneged.
Rather, he was said to have falsely published and posted his obituary on social media while he is still alive.
Hence, the police arraigned him before Magistrate Ikujuni, for fraud.
But he was said to have corruptly promised to give the magistrate money or a recharge card to favour him in the case.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace, by demanding the phone number of his worship, Magistrate Ikujuni, to further threaten him.
The police prosecutor, Bernard Olagbayi said the defendant committed the offences on July 21, 2023, at Oka in Ondo.
The charge read in part,” That you, Paul Oyewole, on July 21, 2023 at Oka, Ondo in the Ondo Magisteriala 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.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to charges preferred against him, while his counsel, S.A. Iluyemi, applied for his bail in liberal terms.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000, with two credible sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till November 16, 2023 for a hearing.
