An Ikeja High Court has sentenced son of a former Oba of Lagos identified as Adewale Oyekan to death by hanging for the murder of a 62-year-old businesswoman and politician.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the son of Oba Adeyinka Oyekan who died on March 1st 2003 and his accomplice, Lateef Balogun, a former domestic staff of the slained woman, Sikirat Edun were sentenced to death by the judge.
The lead Prosecution counsel, Akin George disclosed that Oyekan and Balogun committed the murder at 1am on October 17th 2012, at the home of the deceased located at 5, Babatunde Lalega street, Omole Phase One, Lagos.
George told the court that the deceased knew Oyekan due to her friendship with his late mother. She had employed Oyekan as a manager at her restaurant while Balogun was employed by her to cater for her aging father. However, Balogun’s employment was terminated following a disagreement with the deceased.
According to George, “The convicts conspired, killed the deceased and threw her corpse in a well within the premises of her home, and took over her businesses and property including a bus which was sold for N170,000.
When any inquiry was made by family and friends about her whereabouts, Mr Oyekan informed them that she travelled to Abuja for the Ileya (Eid-el Kabir) festival. He passed this information by sending a text message from Mrs Ekun’s mobile phone.
According to reports, the corpse of the woman was found two months in December 2012 by well diggers and firefighters after extensive search which was birthed by members of Mrs Ekun’s family who were worried
“The convicts had placed a generator, a gas cylinder and other household items on the corpse to conceal it in the 1,000 feet well.”
The presiding judge, Justice Raliatu Adebiyi ruled that the prosecution proved the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced them to death by hanging while delivering her judgement today.
“The circumstantial evidence was strong and cogent; the act of the defendants in killing the deceased was intentional and premeditated. The court finds that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offences of conspiracy and murder, and the defendants are accordingly found guilty of the two-count charge.
“Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, stipulates the punishment for the offence of murder as follows. Subject to the provisions of any other law, a person who commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death.
“Same is the punishment for conspiracy to commit murder as contained in Section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The above cited provisions of the law does not give the court any discretion whatsoever in sentencing the defendants.
“For this reason, the first and second defendants are hereby sentenced on each of counts one and two, to death by hanging. May God, the giver of life, have mercy on your souls.” she said
Five witnesses, including two police officers, a nephew of the deceased, Iyiola Olaniyi; and the only child of the deceased, Folashade Amurun, testified for the prosecution.
