By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, on Monday sentenced a 47-year-old cleric, Prophet Adeleye Akingbaso, to life imprisonment for defilng a 13 years old girl.

The convict was arraigned in September 2022 on a two-count charge bordering on rape and coercion.

The charge read, “The Prophet, sometime in July 2022, at Ado-Ekiti, did rape a 13-year-old girl. Also, in July 2021, Prophet Adeleye coerced the victim to engage in a sexual act to the detriment of her physical and psychological well-being.

“The offences are contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019,” the charge stated.

In her testimony before the court, the victim, who described the cleric as a friend to her mother and was sleeping over in their house, said that the man committed the act one night when her mother was on night duty.

She said, “He woke me up at midnight and said I bedwetted, which was strange to me. He brought out a bottle of shea butter and rubbed it on my vagina; that was all I knew. I later discovered I had been raped that night. He threatened me that he would curse me and I would die if I told anybody.

“He came to our house again on the following day when my mother was not around. I was in the kitchen, and he told me he wanted to complete what he started the previous night. He attempted to rough-handle me, but I escaped and shouted for help, following which our neighbours came to my rescue. They called and informed my mother of the incident. She came home and later reported the case to the police”, the victim said.

To proof his case, the prosecutor, Taiwo Ariyo, called four witnesses and tendered the statement of the victim and medical report as exhibits, while the defendant, who spoke in his own defence through his lawyer, Adelanke Akinrata, called no witness.

In the court judgment, Justice Blessing Ajileye found the cleric guilty on the two counts.

Ajikeye said, “In conclusion, this court has found the defendant guilty on the two-count charge of rape and coercion and convicted him accordingly. This will serve as a deterrent to others in the class of the defendant who has not been caught up by the nemesis of law.

“On count one (rape), the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment and on count two (coercion), the defendant is sentenced to three years imprisonment. Justice Ajileye pronounced that both terms are to run concurrently.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Olu of Itori, Oba Abdulfatai Akamo, on Monday, denied that he never conferred a chieftaincy title of ‘King of Street’ on controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi ‘portable’.

The monarch in a statement made available to newsmen by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, titled ‘Setting the records straight’ said the story was untrue, denying any close relationship with Singer Portable.

He explained that ‘Portable’ was named ‘King of the streets’ by Farmers Association in Ore, Ondo, sometimes in 2024, saying he would never desecrate the rich culture and heritage of the Yoruba tradition.

Oba Akamo said ‘Portable’ adorned himself with the costume to the grand finale of his 21st coronation anniversary as a guest.

He therefore urged his colleague, the Eselu of Eselu, Oba Akinyemi Akintunde, to retract the statement as contained in the open letter.

Oba Akamo wondered why Eselu refused to cross check the facts from him before writing such an unsolicited open letter.

The statement read thus; “The attention of the Palace of the Olu of Itori Egbaland has been drawn to an open letter originating from the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi alleging the Olu of Itori Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulfatai Akorede Akamo of purportedly installing Portable as King of street.

“This allegation in its entirety is unfounded, baseless and incorrect as Olu of Itori has been on the exalted throne of his forebears for more than 21 years and would not be involved in any act that can desecrate the rich culture and heritage of the Yoruba tradition.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the controversial singer Portable was named King of Street by Farmers Association in Ore, Ondo state, sometime in December 2024. The event, which was widely circulated in the print media, stirred controversy on social media. Check the punch newspaper of 7,December 2024. The controversial investiture of the singer was published in the paper.

The controversial singer even posted it on his verified social media accounts.

“During the just concluded 21st coronation Anniversary of the Olu of Itori which took place at Olu of Itori’s Palace on 28, February 2025, the controversial singer was dressed in the costumes to the event as a guest. He was invited by the official photographer to the Palace.

“On his arrival, he was requested to remove the costumes as it is a desecration of the rich culture and heritage of the Yoruba race. The singer immediately removed the costumes before entering into the event where the occasion took place.

“As a matter of fact, the controversial singer was brought forward to pay homage to Olu of Itori without the costumes, and he did not appear in those costumes throughout his stay at the event.

“It is important to set the records straight as the Olu of Itori can not be a party to distortion of the rich culture and tradition of the Yoruba race.

“We implore the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, to retract the statement and put the accurate account of details into the public without further delays as he could have verified with the Olu of Itori personally as a colleague before writing this unsolicited open letter.

“This is the honorable path to follow as we would not like to dwell further on this matter.”

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Some retail outlets belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have adjusted the petrol pump price to N860 per litre.

It was observed that while there is no official communication from the NNPCL Retail yet, some stations in Lagos adjusted their pumps to N860 per litre, down from N945 as of Sunday.

This comes a few days after the Dangote Refinery reduced its ex-depot petrol price from N890 to N825 per litre.

NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, did not respond to calls or messages regarding the development.

However, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, confirmed the development to PUNCH Online.

“It is true, NNPC is selling petrol at N860 in the filling stations. Though this has not been reflected on the portal, they told me they are working on updating the portal,” the IPMAN leader said.

Also, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said, “They reduced the pump price earlier this morning but I’m yet to get the details.”

The Dangote Refinery announced a price cut last week Wednesday, setting another price regime for the petrol market in Nigeria