A’court reduces jail term of dethroned Lagos traditional ruler who faked his abduction

The court of appeal in Lagos has upheld the conviction of Mutiu Ogundare, the dethroned Baale of Shangisha in the Magodo area of the state.

In September 2022, a Lagos high court sentenced Ogundare to 15 years imprisonment for faking his abduction.

The dethroned monarch was said to have put himself forward to be kidnapped to cause a breach of public peace.

He was allegedly aided by his brother and wife.

Ogundare and Opeyemi Mohammed, his brother, were convicted on three counts bordering on conspiracy and fake abduction.

However, the court discharged and acquitted his wife.

Displeased by the judgment, the dethroned monarch approached the appeal court to challenge the decision of the Lagos high court

Delivering the verdict on Monday, Peter Bassi, the lead judge of the three-member panel of the appeal court, upheld the judgment of the lower court in counts one and two but overturned count three.

Bassi reduced the appellant’s sentence to 12 years from the 15 years handed down by the lower court.

In September 2017, Akinwunmi Ambode, then governor of Lagos, approved the deposition of Ogundare for faking his abduction.

The state government had said Ogundare confessed to security services that he staged the kidnapping to blackmail the state government.