How Ondo court jailed Pastor over false allegation

TopNaija reports that a Nigerian Pastor, John Abiodun on Thursday bagged two years imprisonment over perjury and publishing life-threatening and inciting stories against the General Overseer of Promise Land Prophetic Ministry, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi as well as a member of the pentecostal church, Ajidahun Emmanuel Jeminiyi, in Akure, the Ondo State capital,

Abiodun, a former member of the church and a lecturer of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Prof. Lanre Olu-Adeyemi were accused of an eight-count charge of conspiracy, publications of false information, among other charges when they stood trial before the court.

Abiodun and Adeyemi were in October 2019 arraigned over false allegations against Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi of Promise Land Prophetic Ministry, Shasha Area of Akure.

It was gathered that Abiodun had through social media accused Pastor Akinbiyi of planting fetish objects including the placenta as well as a newborn baby at the altar of the church.

TopNaija had reported how police operatives from the Force Headquarters, Abuja stormed the church over the allegations which was later discovered to be false.

The presiding Judge, Justice Bode Adegbehingbe however discharged and acquitted Prof. Lanre Olu-Adeyemi who is a lecturer in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, on all five counts against him.

While delivering the judgment which lasted for over three hours, the Judge ruled that Pastor Abiodun was guilty of count five of the case for contradicting himself while giving evidence in the allegation against him which included using different church WhatsApp platforms and other social media to malign, carry out false publication and wrongly accuse the founder of the Promiseland Prophetic Ministry.

According to the judge who said Pastor Abiodun was guilty of being behind bars for 14 years, he said he would temper justice with mercy by sentencing him for two years due to his aged parents and dependants.

Pastor John Abiodun faced eight counts of conspiracy, a publication of false news, perjury, impersonation, and threatening violence amongst other charges, but was only found guilty of perjury, while Prof Lanre Olu-Adeyemi who stood trial on five (5) count charges of conspiracy, the publication of false news, aiding publication of false news and aiding impersonation, was discharged and acquitted of all the charges.