By David Abiola
A magistrate court sitting in Osogbo, yesterday 9th July sentenced Sodipo Olujinmi, Managing Director of God’s Channel International to 6 months imprisonment for forgery.
Sodipo who is facing a 2 count charge for alleged forgery of laboratory report for Genesis sachet water presented to Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and alleged forgery of a Zenith Bank Teller was arraigned before the court about a year ago.
The prosecuting counsel, Barr. Joseph A. Olofindare called five witnesses and presented several evidences to establish his facts before the court. The witnesses are: Owojobi Oluyemi Folashade the Principal Technical Officer 2 of the SON, Inspector Femi Rotimi, the I.P.O, Fanawopo Abel, analyst of the said laboratory report and Ojo Julius of the Zenith Bank Ile-Ife branch.
The presiding Magistrate M. A Awodele stated that “upon careful examination of both the learned prosecutor and the defense, the accused is found guilty of forging the laboratory report of Genesis water and the forgery of a Zenith Bank teller of N25,000 presented to Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for the fine of the first allegation.
The defense counsel, Barr. R. A Ngwu pleaded the court to deliver justice with mercy and should aim at making the convict a better citizen citing that he is a masters degree holder and a father of five.
The Magistrate, however, stressed that the convict doesn’t deserve mercy for his malicious act since he didn’t consider the citizens who trusted his organisation so much and had been buying products from the company of which might have sent many to their early grave.
Upon conviction, the Magistrate sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment, and also banned God’s Channel International from producing for twelve (12) calendar months provided the defense counsel doesn’t file an appeal within 30 days.
Reacting to the judgment , the prosecution counsel, Barr. Joseph A. Olofindare said the judgement is for the betterment of our society and the common man.
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