Fake Kidnap: Court reduces dethroned Magodo Baale’s jail term

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld the conviction of Mutiu Ogundare, the dethroned Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, for faking his own abduction.

NIGERIA NEWS 247 recalls that Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja sentenced Ogundare to 15 years imprisonment on September 27, 2022. Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ogundare appealed the decision.

A three-man panel of the appellate court unanimously upheld the lower court’s ruling on counts one and two, but overturned the conviction on count three. The lead judge, Justice Peter Bassi, noted that Ogundare’s appeal partially succeeded, reducing his sentence to 12 years. The court ruled that Ogundare is to serve 10 years for count one and two years for count two.

On the third count, related to false representation to release a kidnapped person, the court overturned the sentence. Justices Bayero and Folashade Ojo concurred with the lead judgment.

Ogundare was prosecuted alongside his wife, Abolanle, and his brother, Opeyemi Mohammed. They were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, breach of peace, and fake kidnapping, brought against them by the Lagos State government. On June 15, 2022, Justice Oshodi convicted Ogundare and his brother on three counts of conspiracy and fake abduction but discharged and acquitted Abolanle, finding she had no link to the offenses.