Prophet, Alfa Babatunde has been discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure.
An Ondo State High Court had sentenced Babatunde to life imprisonment over the mysterious disappearance of a one-year-old boy, Gold Kolawole, from his church.
However, in its ruling on Friday delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, the Appeal Court set aside the judgement of the lower court.
In November 2019, officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Babatunde, the founder of Sotitibire Praising Chapel in Akure, following the disappearance of Gold in his church premises.
The cleric and six members of his church were later arraigned in court for alleged kidnap of the boy.
Babatunde and five others were later sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2020 by Justice Olusegun Odusola of the Akure High Court.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted one of the accused on the ground that the prosecution counsel failed to prove any case against him.
The defendants were sentenced on two counts of kidnapping, as well as aiding and abetting to kidnap, based on the evidence provided by the prosecutor.
Those charged along with Prophet Babatunde were Olayinka Omodara, Margaret Oyebola, Grace Ogunjobi, Motunrayo Egunjobi, Esther Kayode and Peter Anjorin.
But not satisfied with the judgment, Babatunde appealed the ruling.
The presiding judge in the case, Justice Rita Pemu, reserved ruling in the matter when the case resumed at the appellate court to a date to be communicated to all relevant parties.
When the matter resumed on Friday, Justice Barka set aside the judgement of the lower court.
According to the judge, the evidence presented was not strong enough to convict the prophet.