An Osun State High Court sitting in Ikire, yesterday, sentenced a 23-year-old student of Lagos State University (LASU), Owolabi Adeeko, to death for killing his school mate and girlfriend, Favour Duley Oladele.
The trial judge, Christiana Obadina, also sentenced the founder of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Solution Chapel, Ikoyi-Ile, Isokan Local Council of Osun State, Prophet Philip Segun, to death, for conspiring with Adeeko to kill Oladele, a final year student of LASU.
Adeeko and Oladele (deceased) were both students of LASU where they met and had been friends for months.
The convicts were slammed with two-count charge of conspiracy and murder contrary to Sections 324 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
The prosecution team from the state’s Ministry of Justice led by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Adekemi Bello, who appeared alongside Ajibola Alade and others, had informed the court during trial that the convicts committed the offence on December 8, 2019 and were arraigned on November 15, 2021.
During the hearing, the prosecuting counsel called nine witnesses, including Investigating Police Officer (IPO) and also tendered several exhibits before the court. Meanwhile, all the convicts testified for themselves without calling any witness.
Bello told the court how Adeeko had asked Oladele, his girlfriend, through a phone call on December 8, 2019 to come and meet his uncle at Ikoyi-Ile.
She explained that before that day, the convict and mother, Bola Adeeko, had been at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church owned by Prophet Segun to seek quick wealth (money ritual).
The prosecuting counsel said the late Oladele left her residence in Mowe, Ogun State,for Ikoyi-Ile, Osun State, upon her boyfriend’s invitation.
On her arrival, the prosecutor said Adeeko took Oladele to Prophet Segun’s church, where she was killed and dismembered, and her heart was cooked for Adeeko’s mother to eat to get wealth, while some other parts of the body was used to make “victory soap” for her mother as well.
The Solicitor General had also informed the court how Ogun State Police Command arrested the self-acclaimed prophet alongside Adeeko over the killing of Oladele.
She said after his arrest, Adeeko narrated how he used his girlfriend to prepare a ritual meal for money ritual.
Bello added that the convict’s mother, Bola Adeeko, thereafter, ate the flesh of Oladele, which was prepared by the cleric as part of the ritual money processes.
In her judgment, Justice Obadina said the prosecuting team had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge, therefore, found Prophet Segun, 42, and Adeeko guilty of murder and conspiracy.
Meanwhile, during allocutors, counsel to the convicts, Adeshina Olaniyan, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his clients.
Justice Obadina sentenced the duo to death by hanging for murder and 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy.
However, 46-year-old Adeeko, mother of Owolabi, was convicted for eating human flesh and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
