Justice Folayemi Omoleye of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, has denied claims that she assaulted Pastors and worshippers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Glory Tabernacle Parish, Ijapo-Estate, Akure.
In a statement by Justice Omoleye’s lawyer, Okedinachi Nelson, she accused the church of “campaign of calumny against her with an attempt to bully her.”
Recall that the church had accused the judge of allegedly disrupting its mid-week service, “Divine Encounter” on Wednesday after she was said to have slapped a 68-year-old Assistant Pastor, Mrs Felicia Akindurojoye and another parish Pastor, Felix Solomon.
According to the statement, Justice Omoleye emphasized that, it was members of the church who assaulted her when she decided to take pictures of wares displayed for sale on her property.
She maintained that several steps had been taken towards cautioning the noise pollution usually caused by the church, adding that the church is illegally built on a canal right beside her residence
The statement read in part, “The church in question is illegally built on a canal right beside the residence of the Honourable Justice where she has been living since 1984 before the foundation of the church was laid. Ever since the emergence of the said Redeemed Church in Ijapo Estate, which is largely a residential estate, it has constituted unabated nuisance to the annoyance of the entire neighbourhood.
“The honourable Justice through her solicitors in a letter dated 22nd of May, 2019 and addressed to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, complained about the noise and environmental nuisance constituted by the church.
“The Justice’s lawyer informed the church of the court action initiated against them on the public disturbance issue, and hence the church Pastorate and Members have been jittery.
“On the day in question, the Honourable Justice intended to have a peaceful stay at home but the usual nuisance and uncontrolled noise from the church would not allow her. On the instruction of her lawyer and in furtherance of her intention to gather evidence to present to Pastor Dele Oyesola, Pastor-in-Charge of the RCCG, Ondo Province at the meeting he proposed, the Honourable Justice, decided to take pictures of wares displayed for sale along and on her property , suddenly, one of the church members attacked her from behind, punched her and broke her phone. It took the intervention of her orderly to prevent them from injuring her. The other members came out in their troops cursing her and threatening to attack her, the statement read.