The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on Monday upheld the conviction and reduced the sentence of Mutiu Ogundare, the former Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Lagos State, for orchestrating his own abduction. Originally sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Lagos State High Court, Ogundare’s appeal saw a reduction in his sentence to 12 years, with the court overturning the verdict on one count.
Ogundare and his accomplices, including his wife and brother, were initially remanded in Kirikiri Prison in 2017 following charges of conspiracy, breach of peace, and faking his own kidnapping. The Baale confessed to staging the incident to blackmail the Lagos State government, after being allegedly abducted by three men under false pretenses regarding a land transaction.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court had convicted Ogundare in June 2022, leading to his subsequent appeal at the Court of Appeal. The court, led by Justice Peter Bassi, maintained the verdict on two counts while overturning the third count related to false representation during the alleged kidnapping.
Despite pleas for leniency from Ogundare’s defense counsel, citing his remorse and intention to reform, the appellate court affirmed the seriousness of the offenses. Ogundare was removed from his position as Baale by former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode following the scandal.
The case underscores the judiciary’s stance against criminal activities that undermine public trust and security, setting a precedent for accountability and justice in similar cases of fraud and deceit.
