Traditional ruler’s son, two siblings sentenced to death

For being found guilty of murder, son of a traditional ruler in Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos State, Ibrahim Omilade and two other siblings, have been sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.

While delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Kudirat Jose pronounced the Baale’s son, alongside the duo of Shola Oni and Kayode Oni, to death by hanging. 

The three young men were charged for conspiracy and murder of one Suleiman Afolabi during a fight on Christmas Day in 2012 at Eyin Ogun Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, when Suleiman was cut with a machete.

“I pronounce the defendants guilty in respect of the charge of murder and conspiracy. They shall be sentenced to death, hanged by the neck until their take their last gasp of breath.”

Justice Jose, therefore, cautioned youths to learn from the ordeal that befell the convicts, adding that young ones should be careful of going about to attack people to settle scores.

The trio, on December 25, 2012, had descended on Afolabi during a fight at the deceased’s house when they were invited by a neighbour to celebrate Christmas.

During trial, the convicts said it was not too long on the said date that a young boy came in and informed them that the deceased’s brother, Akeem Afolabi had threatened to deal with them.

They claimed that they went to inquire the reason for the threat, but while discussing Akeem ordered them to go away. He was alleged to have gone into the house to get a cutlass with which he tried to attack one of them, an attempt, they said another blocked with his hand and got injured.

The convicts further told the court that while they were trying to dodge and plead with a berserk Akeem, his younger brother, Suleiman, was hit by the waist.

They further told the court that they got to know some days later that a doctor had pronounced the deceased dead.However, the judge held that their testimony before the court sounded rehearsed and polished, hence, she relied on the evidence before the court presented by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Babatunde Oguntemowo and defendant counsel, Mr. Olarewaju Ajanaku, as well as points of law to pass judgment of death for the murder and 12 years for conspiracy counting from the day there were arrested.