Temitope Kolawole, father of a year and two months old child, Gold Kolawole, who got missing sometimes in November 2019 at Sotitobire Miracle centre church in Akure yesterday testified before the Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure.
Kolawole told the court how the thugs of the church founder, Prophet Alfa Babatunde, beat him blue and black, while searching for his missing child.
Prophet Babatunde and six workers of his are currently facing trial over the disappearance of the 13- month old baby in the church.
Trial continued yesterday in the three counts charge of conspiracy and abetting kidnap of Eniola Gold Kolawole in the church against prophet Babatunde and his co-defendants in the case.
Prior to the trial which took place in the judge's chamber, the selected audience allowed to enter were made to undergo the COVID-19 precautionary measures of use of face masks, hand washing and applying sanitizers.
Briefly after counsel to the parties in the suit announced their appearances , the fifth witness, Temitope Kolawole, father of the missing boy was examined by the state led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Grace Olowoporoku for over four hours.
The Court Presided over by Justice Olusegun Odusola also admitted in evidence the statement of Temitope Kolawole made at the anti kidnapping section of the Ondo state police Command presented by the defence counsel.
Kolawole told the court how he was harassed and his cloth torn by loyalists of the Prophet in the church before he ran to the Deji of Akure's palace during the search of his one year old son.
Kolawole in his evidence on aoth said he was surprised seeing pastor, Babatunde Alfa in the midst of thugs in the church premise, " I was beaten up, my clothes was tore by Babatunde's thugs in his present, before I could escape the scene.
He testified,, " On this fateful Sunday, my wife, child, younger sister and I left home to the church. On our way, we branched at a bank to make use of ATM card, but unfortunately the queue was to long. So in order to avoid getting late to the church, we left my younger sister, Esther Kolawole, at the ATM point with the ATM card to stay on the queue for the money. While I drove off to the church with my wife and my missing child.
"My Lord, some weeks prior to the incident, there was a man, who used to play with my child, in the church. The man, who happens to be a worker in the church usually sit behind us in the church. That same Sunday, the man sat as usual. The ushers, ordered us to take my child to the children department which we complied with.
"Not quite long, my younger sister, Esther Kolawole came back from the bank and handed over the money and ATM card to me.
"During the service, I observed my wife went out, probably to check on our child and she came back. But it was the second time she checked on him that she called me on phone that she didn't see Gold again at the children department.
"Meanwhile, there was a time during the service that the founder of the church, Alfa Babatunde, instructed that all eyes should be closed. He said, angels wanted to pass through the auditorium, and we all obeyed him.
"He even moved from the altar to the auditorium, there was this fear or doctrine, whenever Babatunde is coming down from the altar, people bowed.
Temitope further told the court how his wife dropped Gold with HOD, to the children department with his lunch bag, that was the third defendant.
" I asked the woman, how many ushers were in the church that could have allowed my child got missing, the woman said, they were 14 and they all went out to empty the dust bins, I was surprised how 14 ushers could leave the church auditorium at once.
"One of the ushers, then said we should not be too panic, that maybe someone took him out to play.
We were cautioned not to shout, the more we increase our voice the more the ushers were stopping us, saying we should not disturb the church. So I started moving around showing the picture of my missing child to everyone if they could help me.
While being cross-examined by the defence lead counsel, Olusola Oke, he said got to know the prophet in June 2019 and denied allegation that he was refused visa on the allegations that he was on the watch list by the US government for criminal charges.
A mild drama, however ensued when the prosecution tried to prevent the defence from tendering Kolawole's statement made with Anti- kidnapping unit of the Ondo state -Command of the Nigeria Police on the basis that it was not part of the earlier listed documents.
Justice Olusegun Odusola, however ruled that the Anti kidnapping unit statement made on November 14, 2019 be admitted saying it substantially complied with section 104 of the evidence act.
The trial continues today June 3, 2020.
