TheCable

Alfa Babatunde, general overseer of Sotitobire Miracle Center, Akure, has been remanded at Olokuta Correctional Centre over Gold Kolawole, the one-year-old boy who went missing in his church.

The Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned Babatunde before an Akure magistrate’s court on two counts of felony and kidnap.

He was arraigned alongside six others: Omodara Olayinka Margaret Oyebola, Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo, Esther Kayode and Peter Anjorin.

The arraignment was in connection with the disappearance of a one year old boy inside Sotitobire church in November.

The mother of the child had dropped him at the creche section of the church but the boy went missing before the end of the programme.

Following rumors that the missing child was buried at the church’s altar, aggrieved youth set the church on fire last week.

Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo police command, later said fake news led to the burning of the church.

The DSS had earlier arrested Babtunde following a petition on the missing child.

At the end of the court session on Monday, members of the church wept openly as Babatunde was ordered into a van better known as “Black Maria”.

The van is used to convey bail suspects and convicted persons from the court to prison.