Court adjourns Bamise’s murder trial to Feb. 10

• Evans’ plea bargain: Court fixes March 20 for report
• Convict bags NCE certificate in custody

A Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) yesterday adjourned proceedings in the murder trial of Oluwabamise Ayanwola to February 10, 2025, for the adoption of final written addresses.

The Lagos State government is prosecuting a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Nice Ominikoron, for allegedly killing the 22-year-old fashion designer.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike adjourned the matter after the defendant’s counsel, Mr Abayomi Omotubora, failed to file his final written address. The court had previously fixed yesterday’s date during its sitting on November 29, 2024, when Omotubora was absent, citing ill health.

At the resumed hearing, prosecuting counsel M.F. Salau noted that the matter had been slated for the adoption of written addresses but stated that the defence was yet to serve theirs. Salau described the delay as long overdue and sought a further date for proceedings.

Justice Sonaike criticised the defence counsel’s failure to file the address, stating: “This matter was adjourned on November 29, 2024, that is two months ago, and the defence counsel is yet to file his written address.”

The judge directed the prosecution to proceed with an application for filing their written address. Following submissions by Salau, who observed that there was no communication from Omotubora regarding his absence or the delay, the court adjourned the matter to February 10, 2025.

The prosecution alleges that Ominikoron raped and murdered Ayanwola at about 7:00 p.m. on February 26, 2022, between the Lekki-Ajah Expressway and Carter Bridge. It was further alleged that Ominikoron and others at large unlawfully killed Ayanwola by throwing her out of a moving bus on the same day and location.

Additionally, the prosecution accuses Ominikoron of raping a 29-year-old woman, Maryjane Odezulu, without her consent on November 25, 2021, at about 8:00 p.m., at the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Centre, Lekki-Ajah Expressway, Lagos.

The offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The 47-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges preferred against him.

Also, Justice Adenike Coker of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has fixed March 20 for a report on the plea bargain application of convicted kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The judge set the date for parties to update the court on the matter, which is the third kidnapping case brought against Onwuamadike by the Lagos State government.

In February 2022, Justice Hakeem Oshodi sentenced Onwuamadike to life imprisonment for the kidnapping of Donatus Dunu, Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited. Subsequently, in September 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (now retired) sentenced him to 21 years in prison for kidnapping a businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting $420,000 as ransom from his family.

Onwuamadike is currently being prosecuted in three additional cases, including the present one, in which he and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, are charged with offences including murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, both defendants were re-arraigned on a five-count charge to which they pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Mr Yusuf Sule, requested a trial date but informed the court that the plea bargain application was before a state government committee. He also noted that the second defendant is seeking a plea bargain as well.

Onwuamadike’s counsel, Emefo Etudo, who recently took over the case, said his primary focus is to pursue the plea bargain application rather than proceed to trial. He informed the court that Onwuamadike had earned a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) while in custody and expressed a desire to further his education to the doctoral level.

Etudo added that Onwuamadike had reformed himself and was appealing to the Lagos State government for a second chance to contribute positively by counselling young people against crime.

Justice Coker acknowledged receipt of Onwuamadike’s plea bargain application, commending the defence counsel for advising his client to explore the option of a plea bargain in addressing his outstanding cases.