Killers Of Slain Corps Member Sentenced To Death In Osun
A watchmaker, Oludayo Oladele, Awodeji Muyiwa and a herb seller, Jelili Kareem, were on Tuesday sentenced to death for robbing and killing a corps member, Adebayo Mukaila in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The trio had on January 28, 2020, at the Omo-West area robbed and killed Adebayo, a corps member and a recharge card vendor at his shop in the presence of his daughter.
They pleaded not guilty when they were first arraigned along with a vulcaniser, Anifowose Biliaminu, to who they sold the recharge cards wares traded by the deceased, before Justice Adedapo Adeniji of an Osun State State High Court on October 8, 2020.
They were arraigned on six counts bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession and murder.
During the trial, a prosecutor from the Ministry of Justice, Muyiwa Ogunleye called four witnesses; the 10-year-old daughter of the deceased, his elder brother, a pathologist and the Investigative Police Officer, IPO.
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He told the court that the convicts conspired to rob and kill one Mukaila of his phone, recharge cards and other valuables.
According to him, Biliaminu also received a recharge card stolen from Mukaila, saying their offences contravened sections 316, 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code Law. Cap.34, Vol. 2. Laws of State, 2002 and Section 27 of the Robbery and Fire Arms Act Cap R11, LFN 2004.
In support of his case, the prosecutor tendered as exhibits, the deceased’s autopsy report and the murder weapon before the court.
However, the defence counsels, Shina Olaniyan, Folashade Ipede and Suleiman Akano urged the court to dismiss the case against the convicts, noting that the prosecution did not prove the case of murder, conspiracy to armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms against the defendants.
In his judgement, Justice Adeniji stated that the prosecution proved all the grounds of the case beyond reasonable doubt.
He, therefore, sentenced the three convicts to death for the offences and discharged and acquitted Buliaminu for receiving stolen recharge cards.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
