An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a 32-year old man, Toba Adeyemi, to death by hanging for the murder of a youth leader, Michael Alademomi, popularly known as “Eko,” during a supremacy clash in Akure.
Adeyemi, who was arraigned in October 2021 in charge No. AK/58C/2021, faced a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.
Delivering judgement, Justice Yemi Fasanmi held that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge sentenced Adeyemi to 14 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and d3ath by hanging for the murder of the deceased.
“I hereby sentence Adeyemi to 14 years imprisonment on the count of conspiracy and sentence him to death by hanging for stabbing the deceased to d2ath, in accordance with the law,” Justice Fasanmi ruled.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, D.G. Kayode, told the court that Adeyemi and others at large committed the offence on May 1, 2021, at No. 50B, Fadeyi Street, Oshinle, Akure, within the court’s jurisdiction.
Kayode stated that at about 5 p.m. on the said date, the convict and his accomplices allegedly conspired to k!ll Alademomi, by beating and stabbing him in the neck.
The prosecution called four witnesses and tendered the extra-judicial statement of the defendant as evidence while the defendant testified as a sole witness.
However, the convict denied involvement in the crime.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
One of the prosecution witnesses told the court that the defendant arrived at the deceased’s residence with about eight men on motorcycles and allegedly pointed at Alademomi before he was attacked.
The witness said the deceased ran into the house while shouting for help and bleeding profusely after he was stabbed in the neck.
He added that the attackers fled the scene immediately, while the victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead about three hours later due to excessive loss of blood.
He further disclosed that a deep cut was observed on the deceased’s neck.
Counsel to the defendant, Fortune Falade, argued that there was no direct evidence linking Adeyemi to the stabbing of the deceased.
However, Justice Fasanmi held that the oral and documentary evidence before the court showed that the defendant deliberately went to the deceased’s residence with armed supporters to intimidate and assault him over an earlier disagreement.
The judge said the defendant mobilised the group in a show of strength and toughness against the deceased, adding that the injuries inflicted during the attack led to Alademomi’s d3ath
Justice Fasanmi further held that the testimonies of prosecution witnesses corroborated one another and established that the deceased sustained fatal injuries to the neck during the assault.
“The evidence before this court clearly shows that the defendant committed the offence of m3rder punishable with death.
“The prosecution has successfully discharged the burden of proof placed upon it by law,” the judge ruled.
He consequently sentenced the convict to death by hanging in accordance with the law.
