Siblings jailed for damaging widows’ shop over witchcraft allegations

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A Magistrate’s Court in Ekiti State, Ado Ekiti District, sentenced two siblings, Sunday Arowosoki, 25, and Gbolaga Arowosoki, 23, to 30 months imprisonment (15 months each) for assault and malicious damage.

They were found guilty of mobilizing family members to attack their widowed brother with dangerous weapons and vandalizing his shop following their allegation of witchcraft against the woman.

The prosecution said the defendants conspired at 10 a.m. on April 17, 2022 at Ayegunle Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area in Ekiti State to commit a crime, malicious assault and damage , illegally on the widow of their late brother, Mrs. Rachael Arowosoki.

The prosecution said that the defendants unlawfully damaged two shops, owned by Mrs. Rachael Arowosoki.

The offences, he said, were contrary and punishable under Sections 421, 185 and 354(1)(8) of the Ekiti State Criminal Act, 2021.

The victim, in his statement to the police, said: I am a trader, I married the late Jimoh Arowosoki more than 45 years ago. We have six children. After my husband died, his brothers and sisters accused me of witchcraft and being responsible for his death. The matter was reported to the monarch, who dismissed the allegation as frivolous and unsubstantiated.

Afterwards, the siblings mobilized other family members, they were armed with cutlass, sticks and other dangerous weapons with the intention of killing me, but I escaped and ran. towards the palace. When their mission could not be accomplished, they came to my shop erected in front of my house and destroyed it, she said.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Elijah Adejare, called three witnesses and presented the victim statement, statement of the defendants, hospital receipts and admission card, among others, as exhibits.

The defendants, who spoke in their own defense through their lawyer, called three witnesses.

In his judgment, the magistrate, Olatomiwa Daramola, found the defendants guilty and sentenced them accordingly on counts 1 (assault) and 3 (unlawful damage) of the charge.

He said: In Count 1, the defendants are sentenced to three months imprisonment each or a fine of N10,000; in count two (malicious damage), the defendants are acquitted and acquitted; and in the third count, the defendants are sentenced to imprisonment for one year each or a fine of N10,000 in lieu of imprisonment.

The sentences should run concurrently while the fine is consecutive, Daramola said.

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