A clergyman, Paul Oyewole, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly threatening to kill a Magistrate, Mrs Mosunmola Ikujuni.

Oyewole was alleged to have threatened to kill the Magistrate if she refuses to listen to his warning.

The clergyman is standing trial for allegedly obtaining the sum of N3m from a complainant with the pretense of returning the same within seven days, which he reneged.

He was said to have faked his own death to avoid paying the N3m he borrowed from a member of his church to avoid paying his debt.

Oyewole was alleged to have corruptly promised to give the magistrate money or a recharge card to favour him in the case.

The defendant was also alleged to have conducted himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace, by demanding the phone number of the Magistrate to further threaten him.

Police Prosecutor, Bernard Olagbayi, said the defendant committed the offences on July 21, 2023, at Oka in Ondo town.

According to the charge, “That you, Paul Oyewole, on July 21, 2023 at Oka, Ondo in the Ondo Magisteriala District, did write a threat letter to kill his worship, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni, if she refuses to listen to your warning and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 323 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of the Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you, Paul Oyewole on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, corruptly promised to give, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni money or recharge card to favour you in a case with charge number MOD/21c/2023, Commissioner of Police vs Paul Oyewole, in which you are a defendant, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 98a(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

Oyewole pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned to November 16, 2023 for hearing. (Courtesy, excluding headline, The Nation)

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