Ekiti: Man, 43, sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder

• Ojo, 43, was arraigned before the trial court on 25th January, 2023 on one count charge bordering on attempted murder

One Akinyemi Ojo has been sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder in Ekiti State.

He was convicted and sentenced by Justice Blessing Ajileye of the High Court, sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.

Ojo, 43, was arraigned before the trial court on 25th January, 2023 on one count charge bordering on attempted murder.

According to the charge, Ojo attempted to murder one David Faith on Dec. 5, 2022 in Aramoko -Ekiti by matcheting her, an offence that is punishable according to Section 241 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

In her testimony before the court, the victim stated, “I was going to my farm on that day, I met the defendant on the way and we exchanged pleasantry, I later branched to my farm to pluck some okro, after sometime, I saw the defendant coming towards where I was, holding a cutlass, I suspected his movement to be of evil agenda, I then took to my heels, he was chasing me with cutlass and met me where I fell.

“He gave me matchet cuts all over my body and I became unconscious, I did not see him again when I regained little consciousness, I crawled to the main road where some passersby took me to the General Hospital, Aramoko -Ekiti, I did not know my offence or why he decided to kill me” she concluded.

The prosecutor, Taiwo Ajibulu-Ariyo, called five witnesses and tendered defendant and victims’ statements, cutlass and pictures of the victim as exhibits while the defendant spoke in his own defence through his lawyer and called no witness.

In his ruling, Justice Ajileye said, “In this instant case, I found that the defendant matchetted the victim and degree of injury inflicted on her was capable of causing her death but for the intervening efforts of the passersby who saw her in the pool of blood.

“The defendant is hereby convicted as charged in line with Section 241 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, he is accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment”.