Friday, February 21, 2025 - A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has convicted one Olarenwaju John Ifagbemi for burning the Holy Quran.
The convict, said to be a traditionalist, was prosecuted on a charge
bothering on insult to religion.
Delivering judgement, the trial judge, Justice N. U Agomoh, held that
the prosecution was able to adduce evidence that satisfied the requirements of
Section 204 of the Criminal Code Act, thereby proving the case beyond
reasonable doubt.
The convict was sentenced to a prison term of three months, with effect
from January 7, 2025.
Ifagbemi was arrested in Iseyin Local Government Area by the Oyo Command
of the Department of State Services, DSS, in early January, shortly after he
posted a video of himself openly burning a Quran.
The incident occurred at a time some Islamic clerics had initiated moves
to establish a Sharia court in Oyo town and the convict’s action was viewed as
a move to trigger religious crisis.
With tension rising in the area, the intervention of the DSS helped to
reduce tensions.
“The Service’s swift arrest of the traditionalist who openly burnt the
Quran, and uploaded it on social media helped deescalate tensions,” a source in
the area said.
A senior court official, who spoke on the charge marked FHC/IB/4c/2025/,
said: “The honourable trial judge was able to deliver judgement within a period
of one month because the DSS proved its case satisfactorily.”
In a related development, Justice N. E Maha of the Ibadan division of
the Federal High Court has sentenced a terrorist, one Babangida Ummaru, to 60
years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The terrorist and kidnap kingpin was initially arraigned on a two-count
charge, which was later amended after the DSS obtained additional evidence.
The court found the convict guilty on three counts of terrorism and
kidnapping, under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
He was however discharged on four other counts.
The 60 year imprisonment secured against the suspect is considered as a
landmark judgment that is expected to add more credence to the Terrorism and
Prohibition Act, 2022.
0 Comments