Prophet claiming he could bring Toluwanisings back to life in court

A court has sent a self-proclaimed prophet, Moses Idowu, to custody. He is facing accusations of filming the remains of gospel singer Olayemi "Toluwanisings" Bolaji while claiming he could bring him back to life.

The Oyo State Police Command also took content creator Oladapo Dunminimnun to court in a different case. He is being charged over videos that made unproven claims about the singer's death and his family.

The police spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, shared these updates in a statement on Friday. He said both men were brought before courts over separate posts linked to the uproar after Toluwanisings' death.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the gospel singer collapsed and died at his home in Ibadan in October. His death led to disagreements among his family, wife, and friends about how he died and where he should be buried.

The argument grew when his father's family opposed plans by his wife, Elizabeth, and some friends to bury him in a cemetery. After the police got involved, they reached an agreement, and the singer was laid to rest at his home on 9 November.

Alleged resurrection attempt

Mr Olayinka said Mr Idowu went to the morgue where Toluwanisings' body was kept. He claimed he had the power to bring the dead back to life.

During his visit, the police claimed he recorded the singer's body and shared the video on social media without the family's permission.

"While doing this, the suspect recorded a video of the deceased's body and shared it on social media without the family's consent. This disrespected the remains and caused more pain to the grieving family," the police spokesperson said.

The police accused Mr Idowu of making claims that implicated the singer's wife and personal assistant, Babadunmi Gbolabo, in his death without proof.

He faced four charges for the unlawful recording and spreading of false information, publishing defamatory content, disrespecting a dead body, and actions that could disturb public peace.

The court ordered him to be held in a correctional facility and set the next hearing for 2 December.

Content creator in court

In a separate case, the police brought Mr Dunminimnun to court on Thursday. He is accused of creating and sharing videos during the arguments over Toluwanisings' death and burial.

He had interviewed family members of the singer while the disagreements over burial plans were ongoing.

According to the police, he later released videos accusing some of the singer's family and friends of being involved in his death.

Mr Olayinka said the videos were released even after the police warned him and others to stop public discussions that could worsen the situation.

"Investigations showed that the suspect continued to make and share videos with unproven claims about the deceased, his wife, and family members," he said.

The police spokesperson added that these publications happened despite several warnings against spreading unverified claims about the case.

Police warn social media users

The police raised concerns about the spread of unverified claims and sensitive images of deceased people on social media.

Mr Olayinka said that while freedom of speech is protected by the constitution, it must be used responsibly and with respect for grieving families.

"The command warns the public, social media users, and content creators against using digital platforms to spread false information, share sensitive images of the dead, or make reckless claims without credible evidence," he said.

He urged everyone to respect the dignity of the deceased and let investigators and the courts handle matters surrounding suspicious deaths.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, also advised social media users to verify information before sharing it and to avoid content that could disturb public peace.