An Ondo State High Court in Akure, on Thursday, rejected the bail application of the founder of Sotitobire Miracle Church, Alfa Samuel Babatunde and ordered that he should be returned to the Olokuta Medium Correctional Center in Akure.

The judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola gave the order at the first appearance and arraignment of Babatunde and six members of his church before the state high court.

This is the first time Babatunde and others would be appearing before the High Court after his case was transferred from the Magistrate’s Court by Chief Magistrate Charity Adeyanju.

Alfa Babatunde and six members of his church are facing a six-count charge over the disappearance of one-year-old gold Gold Kolawole in the church in November last year.

The defendants were all present in court including one Peter Anjorin who was at large when the case was first brought before the magistrate court.

When the case was mentioned in court, the suspects including Alfa Babatunde pleaded not guilty.

The bail applications earlier filed by the counsel to the defendants Olusola Oke could not stand as the Director of Public Prosecution, Grace Olowoporoku, complained about the duplicity.

Olowoporoku told Justice Odusola that the defendant’s counsel filed multiple bail applications that were difficult to reply.

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The judge, however, asked Oke to fine-tune his bail applications pending the next court date so as to commence hearing of the bail applications.

Subsequently, the judge adjourned the case till the 16, 17, and 19 of March for further hearing.