It was drama galore at the Ondo State High Court on Monday, when two video tapes were played by the Department of the State Security Services (DSS) as evidence tendered in court against Alfa Babatunde of the Sotitobire Church in Akure
The founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Alfa Babatunde, is currently undergoing prosecution over the missing of a 13-months old child, Kolawole Gold in November 10, 2019
The eight witness in the on going trial gave evidence yesterday , with video clips played as an evidence.
As at the last sitting, the prosecutions led by Mrs Grace Olowoporoku, sought the court for permission to add more witnesses in the case which the court granted after series of arguments by the defence counsels.
However, the eight witness, Mr Akanbi Adekunle, a technician of the department of State Service, was today in the witness box before Justice Olusegun Odunsola, and testified on how he was directed to supervise during the taken of statement from 1st to 6th defendants.
How He was also directed to extract a video clip from a Hp laptop labeled karaole, recovered from one Niyi Egunjobi of the media department of Sotitobire Praising Chapel Oshinle, Akure during the cause of investigation in the case. He added that the video clip contained a press interview and a rally held by the first defendant, founder of Sotitobire,Alfa Babatunde.
According to him, he copied the video from the HP laptop belonging to Niyi Egunjobi, of media department Sotitobire, with the use of his official flash drive which he later transfered and burnt into eight CDs. He tendered the CDs to the court as exhibits.
Adekunle added that he was also directed by the management to supervise the recording of the statements for the 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 defendants. “These statements were recorded with my official Sony digital video camera recorder with serial number DCRSX33E , which came with a USB cable and a memory card and was sanctified.
Mr Olusola Oke, lawyer representing the 1st, 2nd and the 4th defendants, acknowledged the fact that 2 CDs were served on him and a certificate of identification, But rejected that the videos, said were not relevant according to section 84 in the evidence act.
He prayed the court to reject both the certificate and purported video stating that it was predated.
After series of arguments, the court declined the counsel’s prayer and received the video clips as exhibits. The video clips were played in the courtroom for both parties to watch.
The video revealed where Alfa Babatunde had boasted that he had nothing to do with the case unless the parents of the child would come through the right channel, and beg before he could pray for the recovery of the missing child.
In this video , the operative of the department of State Service asked him what he meant by the word ” come through the right channel and beg”. He responded in the video that ” it is because the parents of missing child has told the Deji of Akure at his palace that he has not been praying concerning the missing child, and I expected them to come to me, so that we can pray together.”
According to the statement of Omodara Olayinka, the 2nd defendant in the case, worker at the Church children department , who had been worshipping in the church for three years, and incharge of the children attendance, confirmed that Kolawole Gold, was brought to the church on that day by two women.
In her statement through the video clips played in the courtroom, she said, the child was duly registered on that day and after some minutes, one of the women came to feed the child with rice served in a nylon. Thereafter, the second woman also came with juice but I cannot ascertain if the feeding child was the one that got missing. Also, I do not know the mother of the missing child until the missing alert.”
Adding that she, other ushers and the parent of the missing child sworn to an oath at Deji’s balance.
However the prosecutions which today led by the Ondo state Attorney General Mr Adekola Olawoye, sought the court for an adjournment.
Odunsola, adjourned the case till today June 16, 2020 for continuation of hearing.
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