Court Jails Community Leaders Five Years for Leaking Osun Ex-speaker’s ‘Ritual Video’

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, yesterday  convicted and sentenced five individuals who engaged in blackmail and fraud against the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoye.

The perpetrators defrauded the ex-speaker of the sum of N38 million and maliciously released a nude video of the politician while allegedly having a ‘ritual bath’ in public.

The incident dates back to 2018 when the blackmailers released a 13-second nude video that quickly went viral on the internet.

In the video, Owoye, who represented Ilesa East at the State Assembly, was seen being accosted by a group of individuals.

The individuals alleged that he was involved in a ritual bath in a market square, which they claimed was meant to ensure his success in the forthcoming 2019 General elections.

The convicted individuals, namely Kazeem Agbabiaka, Femi Oyebode, Abdul-Rasheed Ojonla, Babatunde Oluajo, Adebiyi Kehinde, along with Oyebanji Oyeniyi and Ismaila Azeez, were initially arraigned in court on October 19, 2018.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented 57 exhibits such as flash drives and bank statements from Guarantee Trust Bank, Wema Bank, and First Bank, among others.

And yesterday, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola found five of the accused guilty of conspiracy, advance fee fraud, and cyberstalking, among others and  sentenced them to five years each.

Specifically, Agbabiaka, Oyebode, Ojonla (both community leaders), and Babatunde (who held the title of Prince) were found guilty of conspiracy and advance fee fraud, while Adebiyi was convicted of cyberstalking.

Oyeniyi was discharged and acquitted of all charges related to the case.

Justice Ayoola established that the convicted individuals had not only defrauded the former speaker of N38 million but had also callously posted his nude video on the internet with the intent to subject him to public ridicule.