A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state presided over by Tope Aladejana has allegedly convicted one Benjamin Andrew for stealing without trial.
This bizarre reflected the level of rot in the Ondo State Judiciary.
Andrew was said to have pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge bordering on stealing of cocoa on a farm in Ile-Oluji in the Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government area of the state.
In the judgement delivered on August 12, which has gone viral, Andrew was summarily sentenced to three years imprisonment on each count.
The public outrage over the decision of the court prompted the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusola Odusola, to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the decision of the court.
Odusola in a statement issued on Saturday by the Chief Registrar of the state judiciary, Mrs Yetunde Ajanaku, observed that the judiciary was disturbed on the judgment and the public outcry on it.
“Ondo State Judiciary has taken note of a recent judicial pronouncement delivered by an Ondo State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ile-Oluji on the 12th day of August 2024 in the matter with Charge No: MIL/25C/2024, the case of the Commissioner of Police (COP) versus Benjamin Andrew in which the purported Certified True Copies of this judgment has become the subject of extensive online discussions and public scrutiny.
“Ondo State Judiciary is deeply concerned about this development and the Learned Honourable Chief Judge has promptly launched a meticulous investigation to authenticate the veracity of the Certified True Copies of the said judgment, as well as to thoroughly examine the circumstances leading to the pronouncement thereof if the Judgment is duly authenticated.
“This action is aimed at ensuring that the court proceedings and practices in the state strictly adhere to the letter and spirit of the applicable laws and established judicial conventions.
“Ondo State Judiciary hereby reassures the general public of its unwavering commitment to the sacred cause of justice, even while acknowledging the inherent possibility of human frailties and occasional oversights.
“We respectfully appeal for calm and composed deliberation as it diligently works to resolve the issues that have arisen in this matter,” the statement read.
