An Osun State High Court, sitting in Ile-Ife, has sentenced a 30-year old man, Taiwo Agboola, has been to death for killing a 62-year old, Jadesola Olubayo, at a palm oil processing factory.
Agboola was said to have killed the deceased on October 11, 2023 at a Palm oil processing site located at Amula River in Olokemeji Village, Ifetedo, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
The defendant was arraigned on three count charge of attempted rape, indecent assault on female and murder contrary to Section 359, 360 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State, 2002.
Agboola was first arraigned on November 7, 2024, and in the cause of the trial, the prosecution called 4 witnesses, while the defendant testified in his defence without calling any other witness.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, Justice Adedapo Adeniji, held that “The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and “consequently find the defendant guilty of murder.”
Stating the facts of the case during the trial, the prosecution team from the Ministry of Justice, led by Ajibola Alade and Omotayo Babalola, told the court that Latifat Adeyemo, a granddaughter to the deceased had accompanied the deceased to the palm oil processing factory where she met her death.
During her appearance before the court, Adeyemo said Agboola suddenly appeared at the factory and stripped self naked, causing panic as the two women in the premises were gripped with fear.
Adeyemo also said she and her grandmother had attempted to flee, but Agboola ran after them and overpowered the deceased.
After running to the owner of the factory, identified as Ajide Bashiru to seek help, Adeyemo also told the the court that when the returned to the scene of the crime, Agboola had stripped the deceased naked and smashed her face with stone and stick, killing her on the spot.
She also said Agboola initially escaped, but was later apprehended near the scene of the crime and subsequently handed over to the police.
Addressing the court, counsel to the defendant, Oluwaseun Akintola Philip-Idiok and Victoria Ugochi Layi-Jacob, urged the court to be lenient in its judgement.
Justice Adeniji, after pronouncing Agboola guilty of the three charge, sentenced him to “14 years imprisonment for count 1 bordering on attempted rape, two year imprisonment for indecent assault and death for count three bordering on murder.”
In April, the Gombe State High Court sitting in Court No. 2 has sentenced an 18-year-old, Mustapha Isah, on Tuesday to death by hanging for the offence of culpable homicide.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdulhamid-Mohammed Yakubu, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt and established that the accused intentionally caused the death of the victim.
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