Michael Joel-Hansen
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A former administrator of a controversial private Christian school in Saskatoon will serve another conditional sentence after pleading guilty to five counts of assault with a weapon.
John Olubobokun, 65, was sentenced Thursday afternoon in Saskatoon provincial court. He received five month sentences on each count, to be served concurrently in the community under conditions.
Before Judge Doug Agnew imposed the sentence, Olubobokun, who was seated in the gallery, addressed the court.
“I am deeply sorry to see the impact of my actions,” he said.
His guilty pleas were entered Tuesday during what was scheduled to be his second assault trial.
The assaults occurred in 2003 while Olubobokun was working as the director of what was then called Christian Centre Academy. The school later became Legacy Christian Academy and is currently called Valour Academy.
A publication ban was issued this week, as pleas were entered, on the details of the offences because Olubobokun’s co-accused is still before the court.
Speaking to reporters outside court, he said he pleaded guilty because the incidents happened.
“It’s very sad, it’s very unfortunate, and I did express my regret when I was in court today,” he said.
Crown prosecutor Sheryl Fillo had asked the court to impose a sentence of two years less a day followed by two years of probation. She said such a sentence is appropriate since most of the victims were minors when they were assaulted.
Agnew agreed the age of the victims was an important factor in sentencing.
“They were at a crucial formative period of their lives,” he said.
Olubobokun, with his wife seated next to him, did not show any emotion as people wiped away tears while listening to victims read their statements in a courtroom filled with supporters.
One victim described feeling humiliated and degraded.
“I work hard to feel safe,” she said.
Defence lawyer Ron Piché asked for an 18-month conditional discharge, which would have left Olubobokun without a criminal record if he abided by certain conditions.
Piché asked the court to consider his client’s limited criminal history, and how a criminal record could impact his client’s ability to travel back to Nigeria to see his family, and impact his work as an educator.
Olubobokun said he was taking direction from Keith Johnson, the former lead pastor of the school’s affiliated church. He disagreed that the church and school operated like a cult.
“No it was not a cult, there were no locks on the doors, you could go in and out,” he said outside court.
Another victim said she doesn’t believe Olubobokun’s apology was heartfelt or honest.
“People will do what they need to do to stay out of jail,” she told reporters.
In her victim impact statement, she described being distrustful of male authority figures.
“I still struggle with intrusive memories,” she said.
Olubobokun will serve his five-month sentence in the community in addition to the 18-month conditional sentence he received in July after being found guilty of nine counts of assault with a weapon for hitting former students with a wooden paddle as a form of what he called “scriptural punishment” between 2003 and 2007.
His conditions require him to keep a curfew, take programming as directed and report to a probation officer.
