[size=14pt]Jailed 70-yr-old monarch laments • With my age, status, I shouldn’t be in prison [/size]
By MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

Friday, January 14, 2011


Law they say is no respecter of anyone. Perhaps, that’s why Oba Gabriel Adepoju Adeyemo, Oko-Ile of Ogbomoso, Oyo State has been remanded in Abeokuta Prison for some months now even though he claims innocence of the charges against him.






The septuagenarian monarch along with others were the cynosure of all eyes during the Prison Rehabilitiation Mission International (PRMI) empowerment programme at the Abeokuta Prison recently.

According to Oba Adeyemi, he knew nothing about the murder allegation and he would continue to pray to God to see him through his travail: “I was in my palace with one pastor praying for me when there was a violent clash in one of our garages and I was linked with it.

“I knew nothing about the clash during which people were injured and one of those who was injured at the scene of violence and was rushed to the Ogbomoso General Hospital eventually died. It was after he died that the police claimed I was at the scene of the violence whereas I was in the palace together with one pastor who was praying for me.

“God whom I serve, knows that I have no hands in the death of the man, but because the fight was more or less politically motivated, the other group pitched their tent against me and linked me with the clash. “That was why I am remanded here after the trial and conviction, but I know that by the special grace of God, my appeal will be granted because I never participated in the fight. It was even the pastor that was praying for me that asked me to stay back in the place while he went to look at the situation of things because a motor park was not far from my palace.

“It was when he (pastor) got there that he realized that the violence was beyond what I can control and that was why I asked two of my subjects to report the matter to the area commander because the town was about 25 kilometre away form Ogbomoso. “ So I had to allow them report the matter to the area command, but they came late and I had to arrange for those who suffered various degrees of injuries and I had to follow them to the area commander’s office. On getting there, I handed over all of them to the area commander. They conducted investigations, but it was late before we left the Area Commander’s office.

“ It was God that was on my side because their aim was to attack and injure me in the palace. Police later said I must know something about the murder since I was the king in the town. But I have nine witnesses who corroborated my innocence, yet they said I knew something about the death of the man even though I knew nothing. I must not be allowed to die for a sin I did not commit.

“We are in a political era where political opponents use their connection with those in power to avenge long time rivalries. I did not kill anyone, neither did I ask anyone or group to go and kill anybody. God is my witness, I am not a killer. As a Yoruba Oba, I respect the customs and tradition of our people’’. I have proved my innocence, but it appears some people somewhere want me dead by all means. I have appealed against my sentence, I know that God will see me through this travails because I am innoncent of the charge against me.”

During the ceremony, the Osile Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso who is the Chairman, Board of Governing Council of the (PRMI) prayed for the monarch saying that his innocence would be proved by God if truely he had no hands in the murder case. “We are all prisoners, the only difference is that some of us enjoy our freedom outside the prison yards, while some of us live within the prison yard. For those of you who live within the prison yard, may you all gain freedom from the earthy and heavenly imprisonment’’

http://odili.net/news/source/2011/jan/14/504.html

If found guilty, they should be dethroned, with any trace of royal power relinquished from them and their families and then thrown into a "special" jail were they would be free from violence, physical abuse or assault on account of their previous privileged statuses.

dem_people:

If found guilty, they should be dethroned, with any trace of royal power relinquished from them and their families and then thrown into a "special" jail were they would be free from violence, physical abuse or assault on account of their previous privileged statuses. 

Do you think that the Queen of England can ever be sent to jail no matter what she commits?. If not, why can't our Igwes and obas be treated the same way?.

aloy/emeka:

Do you think that the Queen of England can ever be sent to jail no matter what she commits?. If not, why can't our Igwes and obas be treated the same way?.

It all depends on the particular country's constitution. The Queen of England is not really above the law. Even in medieval England, royal family members used to be relinquished of their various powers if found guilty of a punishable crime, some even beheaded - again depending on the severity of the crime.

What are the chances that a member of the British monarchy will go to jail?. Let us not fool ourselves.

Where is Dayokanu,na him village head dey rot for prison so
@Topic,why not?immunity cos they are royals?abegi .