An Ado Ekiti High Court has sentenced a member of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ekiti State, Abednego Ajibola, to death by hanging for killing his colleague over a loading disagreement.
The court, presided over by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, passed the verdict on Ajibola yesterday after it found him guilty of causing the death of one Ojo Ogunsakin at the Akure motor park, along the Ikere road in Ado Ekiti on March 10, 2017.
Justice Ogunmoye held that the evidence before the court found Ajibola, 40, guilty of killing Ogunsakin, 42, contrary to Section 316 of the Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State 2012.
In his confessional statement volunteered to the police, Ajibola said a brawl broke out between him and the deceased on loading arrangement on the said date.
According to the convict, Ogunsakin had slapped him, which provoked him to retaliate by attacking the deceased with a stone, which led to his death, as confirmed by other witnesses.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, called six witnesses, including the investigating police officer, Sergeant Kamaru Momoh; the wife of the deceased, Mrs Ogunsakin and Dr J.A. Omotayo of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), who conducted the post mortem on the body of the deceased.
In the defence of the convict, his counsel, Mr Kayode Oyeyemi, called two witnesses and the accused person to convince the court of his innocence.
Justice Ogunmoye ruled, “The ingredients of the offence of murder had been established against the accused person and he is convicted accordingly. The accused person is hereby sentenced to death by hanging on the neck till he be dead. May the Almighty God have mercy on your soul.”
