A Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square on Friday, sentenced a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Ominikoron, to death by hanging for the murder of his passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwola.
Ominikoron was arraigned for rape and murder of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Ayanwola, who boarded his BRT bus on Feb. 26, 2022.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike found Ominikoron guilty of murder and attempted rape of Ayanwola.
She also found the convict guilty of raping Nneka Udezulu and sexually assaulting Dr Victoria Anosike, who had boarded his bus on separate occasions.
Sonaike said: “On count one, which is offence of raping Nneka Udezulu, Ominikoron, is sentenced to life imprisonment.
“For count three, attempted rape of Ayanwola, you are sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.
“For count five, offence of sexual assault on Dr. Victoria Anosike, you are sentenced to three years imprisonment.
“On count four, which is the offence of murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwola; having been found guilty of murder, a capital offence pursuant to Section 301 of the Administrative of Criminal Justice Law, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death.
“You will be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on your soul,” she held.
The judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to her, the prosecution through its witnesses proved that the act of the defendant (Ominikoron) caused the death of the deceased (Ayanwola).
She said that the voice recording of the deceased, which she sent to her friend while inside the defendant’s bus would be admitted as a dying declaration.
The judge said that the deceased’s voice recording was made when she felt she was in an eminent danger due to the behaviour of the defendant.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the prosecution called nine witnesses, while Ominikoron was a sole witness for the defence.
He was arraigned on March 22, 2022, for the rape and murder of his 22-year-old passenger, on February 26, 2022, at the Lekki-Ajah Expressway.