Court Sentences Septuagenarians, 4 Others To Death For Murder

Court Sentences Septuagenarians, 4 Others To Death For Murder

Two septuagenarians, John Ojo (77) and Peter Ajayi (73) and four other persons were on Wednesday sentenced to death by an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti for murder and attempted murder.

The other persons convicted by the court alongside the duo are, Oniyelu Olu (63), Folorunso Oluwatoba (65), Tijani Arowolo (80) Dolamu Olaide (29) and Lateef Arowolo (45).

An octogenarian among them, Tijani, however, died during the pendency of the suit in court.

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye who presided over the case pronounced the death penalty by hanging on the accused persons,

Ogunmoye said the prosecution has successfully established a prima facie case of conspiracy, attempted murder and murder against them.

The offences, according to charges against the condemned persons, are contrary to Sections 516 of the criminal code Law, CAP C16,Section 320 of the Criminal Code Law CAP C16 and Section 316 of the Criminal Code Law, all Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The prosecutor, Oluwakemi Daniel informed the court that the offence was committed on or about 7th day of February, 2017 at Ilupeju Ekiti when they conspired to murder one Sola Adeniyi (27).

According to the charge sheet, they also attempted to murder another commercial motorcyclist, Ojo Olaoluwa (22) who gave evidence that the second accused person (Folorunso Oluwatoba) stopped him on that fateful day when he was about to mount his bike.

Olaoluwa told the court that he noticed blood drops from Oluwatoba’s bag and he asked him to open the bag because of police check point ahead.

The commercial motorcyclist said the convict told him it was grasscutter but refused to open the bag.

Olaoluwa added that Oluwatoba took to his heels when he realised that it was perceived that the content may be incriminating, only for him to receive gun shot from back.

Five witnesses were called by the prosecutor to prove her case.

Confessional statements made to the police by the accused persons, photographs of the severed body of the deceased, medical report from Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dane gun, locally made single barrel and one cartridge were tendered as exhibits.

On conspiracy and attempted murder, all the accused persons bagged five years imprisonment each except the 2nd Oluwatoba who was sentenced to 10 years.

The accused persons, who did not call any witness, spoke in their own defense through their lawyers Chris Omokhafe, Sule Longe, Busuyi Ayorinde and Emmanuel Adetifa, they called no witness.