Ogun State Chairman of Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA ), Comrade Abiodun Akintunde has appealed to all aggrieved individuals in the association to return and work for the unity and progress of members, following the recent judgement of the State Magistrate Court sitting in Sabo, Abeokuta which affirmed him and two other executives, Bilewunmi Oluwafemi and Muyideen Adeboye as the authentic leaders of the association in the state
The highly elated Akintunde in a chat with Edu-biznews shortly after the judgement, stressed the need to start working together as a united force to move NATA forward after four years of legal battle for the leadership of the association which started during the era of his late father, Ajao Faremi who was elected in 2010
Magistrate A.Y Morakinyo had in her judgement delivered on 29th of June, 2026, affirmed Akintunde and two other executives who were elected for a term from June 20, 2023 till June 19, 2027 as authentic members of NATA in the state, discharging and acquitting them of all the Three-count charges leveled against them by a faction within the association
Akintunde and two other executives Bilewunmi Oluwafemi and Muyideen Adeboye were freed of count-one bothering on conspiracy to commit felony and impersonation as members of NATA in 2010, an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006
The court also dismissed the allegation in the count-two which claimed that they falsely presented themselves as executives of Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association NATA in Ogun State, an offence punishable under section 484 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria
Similarly the court freed them of count-three on the alleged breaching of public peace when they assemble themselves for a meeting in 2010 at Premier College in Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, another punishable offence punishable under section 249 (d) of the State Criminal Code, 2006
The presiding Magistrate in her ruling, clarified that Akintunde had never claimed he was elected State Chairman of NATA in 2010 as stated in the charges leveled against him and two others , saying his late father Ajao Faremi was the State Chairman of NATA during the period
"Substituting a father with his son is indeed a practice unknown to our criminal law. On this premise, I find the 1st defendant not guilty of count 2 of this charge and he is discharged and acquitted on the same", she ruled
According to the court , the prosecution counsel failed to prove that the three defendants, Akintunde, Bilewunmi and Adeboye were impostors .
"Thus I find also the 2nd and 3rd defendants NOT GUILTY of count 2 of this charge and they are therefore discharged and acquitted of same "
The court further delivered its verdict on the count 3 , saying the prosecution had failed to prove that the said Premier College at Lafenwa was a public place
The court added one of the defendants in his witness told the court that the election was done in his father's compound which prosecution never led any evidence to prove otherwise
"In light of the above, I find the three defendants herein NOT GUILTY of count 3 and they are discharged and acquitted of same "
"This court also lacks the power to rule on the 2010 election was unlawful. In the same vein, they can not also be said to have committed a lawful act in an unlawful way considering the fact there was no record of any incidence of violence at the event of the election or at any point in time. The process of the election was not said to be done in a way that contravenes any provisions of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State..I also therefore find the three defendants NOT GUILTY of count 1 of this charge and they are therefore discharged and acquitted of same"
"On a final note , I find 1st , 2nd and 3rd defendants NOT GUILTY on all counts and they are hereby discharged and acquitted on same", the court finally submitted putting to rest the legal tussle over the leadership of Ogun State chapter of NATA
No comments:
Post a Comment