A High Court, sitting in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, sentenced four persons to death by hanging for the murder of a 70-year-old pensioner, Samuel Oloyede, on April 5, 2017, in Odo Owa Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The convicts are Rashidat Abdul (f) 37, Oluwatosin Akarakiri (m) 32, Abdulrasheed Mutairu (m) 22 and Iyoriochile Eromoina (f) 18.
Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde held that the prosecution has proved the case of murder against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge ruled that the accused contravened Section 316 Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria 2012 and Section 301(2) (2) of Ekiti State Criminal Justice Law 2014.
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“I am persuaded that in the instant case, prosecution have proved the ingredients of murder beyond reasonable doubt by convincing and compelling qualitative unbroken circumstantial evidence and I so hold.
“The sentence of the court upon the four accused persons, is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and may God have mercy on your souls,” Justice Abodunde said.
The accused were first arraigned on February 12, 2018 when the charge was read and interpreted to them but pleaded not guilty.
According to the witnesses, the deceased was a pensioner who operated a brothel in his personal house as a means of livelihood where all the accused persons also lived.
There was a misunderstanding between the deceased and accused persons on payments and sharing formula.
The matter was reported at the palace and later at Ijero Police Station.