The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has set aside the judgement of the State High Court that sentenced the founder of the Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Prophet Sotitobire.
Prophet Babatunde Alfa, popularly known as Prophet Sotitobire, is the founder and director of the Sotitobire Miracle Church in Akure, Ondo State.
An Ondo State High Court had sentenced Sotitobire to life imprisonment over the disappearance of a one-year-old boy, Gold Kolawole in his church in 2019.
The Sotitobire founder had asked the Appeal Court to nullify the conviction by the lower court.
On Friday, the Appellate court ruled that the circumstantial evidence the high court based its judgement on is not enough to convict him.
He was, therefore, discharged and acquitted.
Justice Gamma Barka read the judgement on behalf of other judges.
The Court of Appeal had said on Thursday that it would pass its ruling on the case today (Friday).
Sotitobire had asked the Court of Appeal to review his case following his life sentence judgment given by the lower court on June 6, 2020.
Sotitobire’s trial for kidnapping started in February 2020 and he and six others were found guilty of the charges levelled against them.
The cleric and six members of his church were found to have been involved in the abduction of Gold in his church in November 2019.
