Oba Sent To Prison For Contempt  

An Ota High Court, Ogun State, southWest Nigeria has sentenced Lasisi Kolapo Ogunseye to two months imprisonment for contempt.

Chief Fatai Alani Matanmi, the Onijoko of Ijoko-Ota filed the contempt charge against the convict on 17 May, 2012 at the Ota High Court.

In his application, Oba Matanmi alleged that after he had won several cases against the convict at the high court on the tussle for the stool of Onijoko of Ijoko-Ota, Ogunseye continued to ignore the judgments of the court and has been parading himself as Onijoko of Ijoko by attending public functions with the full regalia of an Oba.

Barrister S. O. Ola, the leading counsel for Oba Matanmi while moving the motion for the committal to prison of Ogunseye told the court that Ogunseye has been behaving as if he is above the law and has continued to flout court orders with impunity without regard to the rule of law, moreso, when he was properly served with all the court processes.

“He has refused to show up in court to answer to the contempt charge against him or send a representative,” he added.

Ruling on the motion, the presiding judge, Justice Mobolaji .A. Ojo frowned at the attitude of Ogunseye, saying he thinks that he is above the law but the fact remains that the law is above everyone.

“I  hold that this is an appropriate situation in which the court may punish the contemnor for his contempt.

“This application therefore succeeds and it is granted as prayed. The respondent/party cited is guilty of the orders of this court. I hereby order that the respondent, Lasisi Kolapo Ogunseye, be arrested forthwith and remanded in prison custody for a period of 60 days in the first instance until he purges himself of his contempt of this court,” the judge ruled.

Justice Ojo also ordered that a copy of the order should be served on the Area Commander, Nigeria Police, Ota, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, the Attorney-General of Ogun State and the Governor of Ogun State.

He concluded by saying “each and everyone of the above mentioned shall exercise his constitutional and statutory powers and authority to execute this order without delay.”