A United Kingdom-based Nigerian woman, Olayinka Akinrinola, has alleged that her son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, was wrongly convicted of robbery by a British court despite CCTV evidence and witness testimonies which she believes proved his innocence.
DIP CONNECT ONLINE NEWS reports that Mrs. Akinrinola made the claims while recounting the events that led to her son's arrest, prosecution and conviction, insisting that investigators failed to properly examine crucial evidence before the court reached its verdict.
Mrs. Akinrinola, who resides in the United Kingdom with her husband, Aderinkola Akinrinola, said they have lived in the country for more than two decades after relocating from Nigeria in search of better opportunities for their family. She explained that she is the Founder and Executive Director of the Olayinka Akinrinola Foundation, while her husband serves as its Co-founder and International Director.
According to her, the foundation is committed to supporting orphanages and vulnerable communities by providing essential needs and improving the quality of life of disadvantaged people. She added that her passion for humanitarian work was inspired by her childhood experiences.
Addressing claims that she is a prophetess, Akinrinola clarified that she does not pastor any church, explaining that the title has been associated with her since birth. She also disclosed that she is currently pursuing a PhD programme.
Speaking about her son, she described Oluwatobiloba as a respectful, humble and kind-hearted young man who was born and educated in the United Kingdom before gaining admission into the University of Leicester in September 2025 to begin his undergraduate studies.
Recounting the incident that led to his arrest, she explained that on November 21, 2025, her son attended a student party after receiving a general invitation along with friends and acquaintances.
According to her, after arriving at the gathering, Oluwatobiloba realised he had become separated from those he came with and began interacting with other attendees. While moving around the venue, he heard a commotion from one of the apartments and briefly entered to see what was happening.
She claimed he witnessed an argument involving another individual who was demanding payment over a pair of newly stolen shoes but insisted that her son had no interest in the matter and immediately left the area.
The following morning, she said several people contacted him to ask whether a robbery had occurred at the party. She maintained that her son consistently told them he neither witnessed nor participated in any robbery.
Mrs. Akinrinola further alleged that her son was later invited to a location known as Tannery after someone informed him that people were gathering there. She claimed that upon arrival, he remained outside making a telephone call while events inside unfolded.
According to her, another suspect arrested in connection with the incident confirmed that Oluwatobiloba was outside on the phone when the alleged crime occurred, adding that this account matched her son's own statement and should have been properly investigated.
She said the matter gained public attention after a popular UK-based TikTok influencer allegedly circulated videos accusing her son of being a robber.
Concerned by the allegations, she said Oluwatobiloba contacted the police himself and volunteered to present himself for questioning, but officers allegedly informed him that he was not a suspect and advised him to ignore the social media posts.
However, on December 3, 2025, police arrested him. She said officers confiscated his trainers, jacket, iPad and wristwatches before detaining him.
According to her, because he was legally an adult, police declined to discuss the case with the family during his detention.
She stated that he first appeared in court on December 5 before being returned to prison, while efforts by his legal team eventually secured his release on bail after another court appearance on December 8.
During his bail period, she said he was fitted with an electronic monitoring device, required to report regularly and complied fully with every bail condition imposed by the court.
Mrs. Akinrinola criticised the trial process, describing it as unfair and claiming it ignored important evidence.
She said the trial lasted two weeks, beginning on June 8 and ending on June 19, during which witnesses allegedly gave contradictory accounts.
According to her, three of the six witnesses claimed her son was present, while the remaining three insisted he was not at the scene.
She argued that none of the witnesses accused him of committing any violent act, but merely assumed he was associated with another suspect because they claimed he told an attacker to stop assaulting people.
Mrs. Akinrinola identified the alleged main suspect as Ayomide Ibrahim, claiming CCTV footage presented during the proceedings showed Ibrahim entering the premises carrying a bag and later leaving with it.
She also alleged that another individual known as "Tekz" was captured on CCTV leaving the premises with jackets reportedly taken during the incident but was never arrested after allegedly declining a police invitation.
She questioned why those allegedly identified by CCTV evidence were either released or not prosecuted, while her son, whom she insists was outside the building during the incident, was convicted.
According to her, financial investigations also failed to link any stolen money to Oluwatobiloba's bank account, whereas funds were allegedly traced to accounts belonging to individuals who were later discharged and acquitted.
Mrs. Akinrinola also revealed that both she and her son had previously experienced racial discrimination in the United Kingdom.
She recalled being physically attacked in a racially motivated incident that resulted in court proceedings and an award of £2,000 in compensation. She further alleged that her son had also been subjected to racial abuse and false accusations in the past.
Expressing her disappointment over the conviction, she maintained that her son had been wrongly found guilty of offences he did not commit.
She further alleged that although another suspect was prosecuted for possessing a firearm allegedly used during the incident, her son was also facing allegations connected to the offence despite, according to her, never possessing any weapon.
Mrs. Akinrinola appealed to British authorities and relevant institutions to review all CCTV footage and evidence presented during the case before her son's scheduled sentencing on July 27.
She insisted that Oluwatobiloba is innocent, arguing that the actual perpetrators identified during the investigation were either not arrested or were acquitted, while her son remains in custody despite what she described as insufficient evidence linking him to the alleged robbery.
She called on the authorities to thoroughly reassess the case and ensure that justice is served.
ADEOLA KUNLE
No comments:
Post a Comment