The Osun State Government has said it will obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by a United States court against the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, before deciding on the monarch’s fate.

Oloyede, 62, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the U.S., was on Tuesday sentenced to 56 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko for his role in a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fund fraud. He was also ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution, serve three years of supervised release, and forfeit his Medina, Ohio home alongside $96,006.89 linked to the scheme.

Court documents showed that between April 2020 and February 2022, Oloyede—who ran multiple businesses and a nonprofit—conspired with another Nigerian, 62-year-old Edward Oluwasanmi, to submit fraudulent applications for COVID-19 relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Programme and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan scheme. The fraudulent claims netted more than $4.2 million. He later pleaded guilty to six counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing false tax returns.

Reacting to the development, the Osun Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Dosu Babatunde, told newsmen on Wednesday that the state government would not act on unverified reports.

“While it may be true that the monarch has been convicted and jailed, there is no official record with us. We cannot rely on Facebook posts and social media stories to act on such a sensitive matter,” Babatunde said.

He added that the government would formally obtain the CTC of the judgment before taking any decision. “Once the judgment is available to us, the government will study it carefully and determine the next steps,” he stated.

Meanwhile, calm prevailed in Ipetumodu on Wednesday, though residents were seen discussing the monarch’s conviction in hushed tones. Palace chiefs reportedly held a meeting on the matter.

The most senior chief in the town, Sunday Adedeji, told journalists, “May God never allow chaos in our community. By His grace, He will be in total control. There is no crisis in the town, and we do not envisage any.”