Court sentences four to death for murder in Ekiti

Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde of the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti, Monday sentenced four persons to death by hanging for murder.

The quartet —Rashidat Abdul (37), Oluwatosin Akarakiri (32), Abdulrasheed Mutairu (22) and Iyoriochile Eromoina (18) –were convicted for causing the death of one Samuel Oloyede in April 2017.

The judge while delivering her verdict said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

She said: “I am persuaded that in the instant case, prosecution has proved the ingredients of murder beyond a reasonable doubt by convincing and compelling qualitative unbroken circumstantial evidence and I so hold.”

Justice Abodunde said the convicted persons caused the death of the septuagenarian, adding that the offence contravened Section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State Nigeria and the provisions of Section 301 (2)(2) of the Ekiti State of Nigeria, Criminal Justice Law,2014.

The convicted persons committed the offence on April 5, 2017, at Odo Owa Ekiti, Ijero local government area of Ekiti State.

They were first arraigned on February 12, 2018, when the charge was read and interpreted to them, although they pleaded not guilty.

According to witnesses, the deceased was a pensioner who operated a brothel in his personal house as a means of livelihood with the convicts as occupants of the building.

They had a misunderstanding with the deceased on payment and sharing of revenue that accrued from the business.

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The convicted persons, according to one of the witnesses, eventually vacated the premises and the deceased was declared missing few days after their departure.

He was later found dead under a heap of clothes with his hands tied.

The matter was reported at the palace and later at Ijero Police Station.

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