Apprentice bags life imprisonment for setting boss ablaze in Ekiti

Justice Jubril Aladejana of Ekiti State High Court has sentenced one Olasunkanmi Kareem to life imprisonment for attempted murder.

The 41-year-old convict was arraigned on 18th November 2024 on a count charge bordering on attempt to murder, contrary to section 241 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The charge reads that the defendant on 11th of August, 2024 at Ifaki Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did attempt to murder one Omoboriwo Bashiru by setting him ablaze.

In his evidence before the court, the victim said, “The defendant was formerly my apprentice at my mechanic workshop, I always assisted him whenever he had issues with his customers while repairing their cars even after graduation.

“On a fateful day, he called around 8:00pm and asked me about a carburetor I helped him repair, I told him I didn’t see it, he was abusing and threatened me that he would set me ablaze wherever he saw me.

“I thought he was joking, I called him and he described where he was for me, we met at a vulcanizer workshop where an argument ensued between us, I did not know he held a gallon of petrol in his hand because it was dark, he poured the content on my body.

“When I discovered it was petrol I tried to run but there was fire all over my body, I fell into a drainage where some passersby put off the fire, I have burnt wounds all over my body and I was later taken to the hospital, he concluded.”

After leading the victim in evidence, the prosecutor Kunle-Shina Adeyemo called four other witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, pictures of the victim, and medical report among others as exhibits.

The defendant spoke in his own defense through his lawyer and called no witnesses.

In his judgment, Justice Aladejana said, “The facts before the court is that the defendant understudied the victim for over ten years and set up his own workshop as a mechanic.

“The defendant lured the victim to his shop, stood in ambush behind an electric pole, and armed with petrol which he poured on him and ignited but for the intervention of the passersby, the victim would have been killed.

“This intentional act of causing grievous bodily harm is an attempt to murder, in my view the defendant does not deserve leniency, rather the defendant should face the full wrath of the law.

“In the circumstance, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment.”