The Baale of Ladegboye town, Ikorodu, Mr. Joseph Giwa has been stripped of his title as the Baale of Ladegboye.
In a letter written by the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, on June 23, 2016 to the secretary, Ikorodu Chieftaincy Committee, Ikorodu local government, the monarch informed them that Joseph Giwa has been removed as the Baale of Ladegboye Town, Ikorodu, Lagos State with effect from June 21, 2016 based on the complaint/request from Ladegboye chieftaincy family.
The request was also backed up with the judgement of the Chief Magistrate Court of Lagos State in charge, No: C/33/2003citing Commissioner of Police Vs. Joseph Giwa and I. Anor, delivered on the 9th day of December 2005, which found him guilty, sentenced and convicted him. It was also mentioned in the letter that the said Joseph Giwa concealed the fact of his conviction to the former Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi before he was installed as the Baale of Ladegboye town.
In a petition written by Ladegboye Chieftaincy family to the Ayangbure in council on June 15, 2016 and signed by Chief Tajudeen Giwa Imale, Olotu head of the family and Mr. Wasiu Ogunlawani, secretary and other family members, they stated the reason for his conviction to include conspiracy, assault, and stealing.
According to them, they made efforts to bring the conviction to the notice of the relevant authorities including the Chairman of the local government and the Governor of Lagos State, who acknowledged receipt of copies of service in their offices on May 2, 2012.
In the letter to Oba-in-council, they stated: “We hereby implore your Royal Majesty as the custodian of the values, social mores and prestige, age-long and cherished custom and tradition of our people to use your good offices to bring honour, respect and dignity to Ladegboye in particular and the council of Baales in Ikorodu division in general.”
According to them, this would ensure that “charlatans and ex-convicts like Joseph Giwa are not allowed to desecrate the exalted tools of the traditional institutions in the State and to weed out criminals and ex-convicts from the august body of nobility, royalty and aristocracy as comprised in the council of Baale of Ikorodu division under your domain and watchful eyes.”
In the earlier judgement relating to his conviction, Joseph Giwa and one Isa Giwa were charged with conspiracy to assault and steal respectively and unlawful assault and stealing contrary to sections 517, 516, 351 and 390 (9) of the criminal code of Lagos State respectively.
Chief Magistrate O.O. Martins (Mrs.), in her final judgement stated: “As regards the defence raised by the second accused, the court’s record showed that he raised it for the first time during his trial. I have gone through his statement – Exhibit E and there was no mention whatsoever that he was at home ill with toothache as alleged in court.”
While referring to a similar previously decided case, she said that it was held that the best evidence and evidence of an alibi is one pleaded at the first opportunity and not at the time of the trial.
Still quoting the other previous case, she said, “Such defence must be timeously brought to the attention of the police by the accused, preferably in his extra-judicial statement, to afford the police an ample opportunity to carry out its investigation.”
“For the accused to raise the defence while testifying in his trial is to deliberately deny the prosecution its right and duty to investigate the defence. Such ploy cannot avail the accused.”
“In such a case, the prosecution would not be obliged to investigate the defence at that late stage and is entitled to rely on the evidence of its witnesses to disprove the alibi.”
“Once again, I rely on the unchallenged evidence of three principal witnesses to rebut the second defence witness that he was at home nursing a toothache, especially since he failed to mention the exact date and time, neither did he tender any medical report to that effect.”
“Accordingly, I find the defence totally demolished. In conclusion, the two accused persons have failed to cast any doubt on the prosecution’s case and accordingly, I am satisfied that the prosecution has established and proved its case in the three courts respectively beyond reasonable doubt.”
“The two accused persons are hereby found guilty as charged of these three counts,” she concluded.
The prosecution’s case was that between the months of August and September, 2002, the two accused persons and some other persons conspired to steal and assault and did assault the complainant who had gone with members of his family to enforce a high court order at the premises in question.
The defence on the other hand denies the allegations and stated that they were not at the scene of the alleged incident on the prescribed date.
It is not certain if the Ladegboye Chieftaincy family reported this court judgment ad conviction to the late Oba Oyefusi, and if Mr. Giwa, as alleged, concealed it from the late monarch and why it took nearly eleven (11) years to make this issue public.