Court jails prophetess for forging land documents
A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in 
Akure, the Ondo State capital, has sentenced a prophetess, Felicia 
Oyelade, to two years’ imprisonment for forging land documents and 
selling same to unsuspecting members of the public.
The 59-year-old prophetess was said to be in charge of the Christ Apostolic Church, Ori Oke Basiri, along Idanre Road, Akure.
 She had been standing trial on one count
 of forgery since 2013 following an allegation that she altered 
documents showing on agreement between her late husband, Olasunkanmi 
Oyelade, and the complainant in the matter, Mr.  Isaac Babalola.
She had been standing trial on one count
 of forgery since 2013 following an allegation that she altered 
documents showing on agreement between her late husband, Olasunkanmi 
Oyelade, and the complainant in the matter, Mr.  Isaac Babalola.
According to the prosecution counsel, 
Mr. Adewale Bamisile, the convict altered the original documents to read
 12 hectares of land purchased at a cost of N35,000, instead of 7.871 
hectares purchased for N25,500 by her late husband in 1977.
The prosecutor had said, “Oyelade’s 
shady deeds was exposed when she sold a portion of the land around 
Preston College, along kilometre 4, Akure-Owo Road, Akure, to an 
unsuspecting buyer with the forged document after the same land had been
 sold to another person by the rightful owner and complainant in the 
matter, Mr. Isaac Babalola.”
Oyelade had pleaded not guilty to the 
charge of forgery levelled against her, saying she was part of the 
transaction between her husband and Babalola’s family when the land was 
bought.
She said the documents were found in her
 husband’s room after the demise of her husband and that she had relied 
on it to sell the land to the people.
After a plea for leniency because of 
Oyelade’s “teeming dependants and the church she was leading” by the 
convicts lawyer, Mr.  Dele Ibitayo, the presiding magistrate, Chief 
Magistrate Olubukola Kuye, ordered that the altered documents be 
destroyed.
He also stated that the prosecution had 
proved the case of forgery against the convict beyond reasonable doubt 
and sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
 
 
 
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