Court sentences 3 killers of corps member to death in Osun

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Justice Adedapo Adeniji of the Osun State High Court in Ile-Ife has sentenced a herbs seller, Jelili Kareem, an Okada rider, Oludayo Oludele, and an electrician, Awodeji Muyiwa, to death for killing a corps member, Adebayo Mukaila.

The convicts were arraigned on October 8, 2020, for conspiracy, robbery, murder and unlawful possession of firearms.

They were arraigned alongside one vulcaniser, Anifowose Buliaminu, who was said to have bought the stolen recharge card from the convicts.

The prosecution team from the Ministry of Justice, led by Muyiwa Ogunleye, called four witnesses, including a 10-year-old daughter of the deceased, whose father was killed in her presence, a family member, a pathologist and an investigative police officer.

The prosecutor told the court that the offences contravened the provisions of sections 316, 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap.34, Vol. 2. Laws of Osun State, 2002 and Section 27 of the Robbery and Firearms Act Cap R11, LFN 2004.

Counsel to the convicts, Shina Olaniyan, Legal Aid Counsel, Folashade Ipede and Suleiman Akano, urged the court to dismiss the case against the convicts, noting that the prosecution could not establish the case of murder, conspiracy to wit armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms against the convicts.

Justice Adeniji agreed that the prosecution proved the cases against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

He, thereby, sentenced them to death for the offences and discharged Buliaminu, who was accused of receiving the proceeds of the loot.