Ekiti Court Sentences One to Death by Hanging

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has issued a death sentence by hanging to 29-year-old Adedayo Olawole for the killing of Chukwudi Joseph. Additionally, Olawole received a seven-year imprisonment term for his involvement in the conspiracy leading to Joseph’s murder. The charges against him, presented on March 29, 2023, include conspiracy and murder, as outlined in Sections 244 and 243 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State Nigeria, 2021.

During the trial, an eyewitness, who was a cousin to the deceased, testified that he witnessed Olawole and several others assaulting Joseph with planks. Subsequently, one of Olawole’s accomplices stabbed Joseph in the left side of his chest, leading to his demise before help arrived.

Prosecutor Ibironke Odetola presented six witnesses and submitted various pieces of evidence, including the defendant’s statements and images of the deceased, to support the case. In defense, Olawole’s lawyer, M.A. Daramola, called upon a single witness to testify.

In delivering the verdict, Justice Jubril Aladejana emphasized that the assailants’ actions, including the use of planks and the subsequent stabbing, demonstrated an intent to cause severe harm or death to the victim. The judge concluded that the prosecution had convincingly proven Olawole’s involvement in the conspiracy to commit murder. Consequently, Olawole received a seven-year prison sentence for conspiracy and a death sentence for murder, as declared by the court.