The Oyo State Police Command has arraigned two individuals claiming to be pastors, Prophet Moses Idowu and Oladapo Joshua Dunmininun, for alleged unlawful publications and defamatory statements regarding the corpse of deceased gospel singer Olayemi Bayonle Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings. According to the police, the suspects were charged with offences including unlawful publication of false information, defamatory statements, and indignity to a deceased human body.
The police investigation revealed that Prophet Moses Idowu visited a morgue where Toluwanisings' corpse was kept, claiming he had spiritual powers to resurrect the deceased. During the incident, Idowu recorded a video of the corpse and circulated it on social media without the family's consent, subjecting the remains to indignity and causing distress to the bereaved family.
Beyond the unauthorized recording and publication of the deceased's body, Prophet Moses Idowu allegedly made publications accusing Toluwanisings' wife, Mrs Olayemi Elizabeth Damilola, and his manager of being responsible for his death, without any substantiated evidence. Similarly, Oladapo Joshua Dunmininun was arrested and arraigned for publishing false and defamatory information on social media platforms, accusing the Personal Assistant to the deceased and members of his family of being responsible for his death.
The Oyo State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, stated that the duo's actions were likely to cause a breach of public peace and emotional distress to the bereaved family. The police characterized their actions as capable of disturbing public peace. Ayanlade confirmed that the suspects were arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The charges against the suspects include unlawful recording and publication of false information, unlawful publication of defamatory matter, and improperly offering indignity to the dead human body by recording and publishing its image without consent. The incidents occurred on November 12, 2026, and the suspects were arraigned subsequently.
The police statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday night emphasized that the command would not tolerate actions that could disturb public peace or cause emotional distress to bereaved families. The arraignment of the two pastors demonstrates the command's commitment to upholding the law and protecting the rights of individuals.
The case highlights the need for individuals to exercise caution when sharing information on social media, especially in sensitive situations like the death of a public figure. The police's swift action in arresting and arraigning the suspects sends a strong message that such actions will not be condoned in Nigeria.
Key points
- The Oyo State Police Command arraigned two pastors for unlawful publications and defamation over videos and statements on gospel singer Toluwanisings.
- The suspects, Prophet Moses Idowu and Oladapo Joshua Dunmininun, were charged with offences including unlawful publication of false information and defamatory statements.
- The incidents occurred after the suspects shared videos and made publications accusing the deceased's family members of being responsible for his death without evidence.
