Justice Olaolu Olanipekun of the Oyo State Magistrate Court Seven sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prophet Ojo Amos (a.k.a Elewuogbo).
Justice Olanipekun ordered that Elewuogbo and his two suretees be arrested and detained till the next adjournment date for refusing to present himself in court after being granted bail.
Prophet Elewuogbo is currently standing trial before the court over alleged defamation of character of Sat Guru Maharaji.
Elewuogbo and a Lagos-based blogger, Mr. Gbenga Dan Asabe, had through media publications have accused Maharaj Ji of selling human body parts for money ritual purposes.
The court also granted the request for the consolidation of the cases against Elewuogbo and Dan Asabe brought by Maharaj Ji’s counsel, Barrister Dapo Akinosi.
Barrister Akinosi had prayed the court that since facts of the two cases are related, it would be better if they were merged together.
The court granted the application and adjourned the case till 30th of April, 2024.
The court, however, ordered that Elewuogbo should be arrested and detained till the new adjournment date.
The self-acclaimed Prophet, who had through different media publications accused Maharaji of being a ritualist, was quoted to have said that he published false allegations against Maharaji because he wanted to become popular.
The charge brought against him reads in part: “That you Ojo Amos “m” and others now at large on 4th September, 2023 at Dugbe area, Ibadan in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit; publishing defamatory matter and publication of false news and thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
“That you Ojo Amos “m” and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District with intent to injure the reputation and expose to hatred did unlawfully publish defamatory matter in “Iwe Iroyin Yoruba Tooto” that Sat Guru Maharaji is a ritualist who sells human body parts for money rituals knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 376 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
“That you Ojo Amos “m” and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public did unlawfully publish false news in “Iwe Iroyin Yoruba Tooto” that Sat Guru Maharaji is a ritualist who sells human body parts for money rituals knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 59 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000″.
The accused person pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge and asked the court to grant him bail.
The Magistrate subsequently granted him bail of N500,000 with two suretees who must be residents of Ibadan working with a reputable organization with a valid identify cards.
