Ondo Missing Child: DSS Tore My Statement Three Times – Witness Tells Court

The ongoing trial of the founder of the Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Prophet Babatunde Alfa resumed on Monday at the Ondo State High Court in the continuation of the defence opened by the prophet and the six other defendants.

During the trial, one of the witnesses, Dr. Richard Akinnagbe, told the court how his testimonies were torn three times by officials of the Department of State Security, DSS.

Prophet Alfa is standing trial before an Ondo State High Court in Akure, the state capital over the mysterious disappearance of one-year-old Gold Kolawole from the Church’s children department last year.

While testifying before the court during Examination-in-Chief by lead Defence Counsel, Olusola Oke, Akinnagbe told the court that he was detained for one day by the DSS when he visited the secret service agency’s Office to state what he knew about the case being in church on the day gold got missing.

He alleged that the DSS tore three statements that he wrote in their custody because it was not what they wanted him to write.

The witness also accused Gold’s mother of reluctance to involve the police when he advised her to do so as she insisted that her husband and his friends will look for the toddler.

But, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adekola Olawoye while cross-examining Dr Akinnagbe described him as a meddlesome interloper in the case whose testimony contains lies.

Olawoye also tendered in court as an exhibit, the statement said to have been written in DSS custody by Akinnagbe and though there was opposition by the Defence, the court accepted it.

The trial was subsequently adjourned till Tuesday by Justice Olusegun Odusola.

After the adjournment of hearing till Tuesday, Mr. Olawoye expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the defence saying it was affecting many other state issues.

But the spokesman of the defence team, Akinyemi Omoware assured that they will call all their witnesses between the timeframe allotted by the judge.

20 witnesses have been slated to give testimony for Prophet Alfa and 6 other defendants to absolve them of complicity in the disappearance of Gold.