– Three people were sentenced to death for killing one Suleiman Afolabi on Christmas day
– They claimed they were attacked by the deceased’s brother
– The judge dismissed their claim before giving out her sentence
Ibrahim Omilade who is the son of a traditional ruler in Lagos Chief Bashiru Omilade has been sentenced to death by hanging after the murder of one Suleiman Afolabi during a fight on Christmas day in 2012.
The Nation reports that two brothers, Shola and Kayode Oni have also been sentenced to death for the same crime.
It was reported that the gruesome murder of Suleiman occoured at Eyin Ogun Street, Mafoluku in Oshodi where he was machete by his assailants.
Justice Kudirat Jose of a Lagos high court in Ikeja sentenced the trio to death after she found them guilty of the charges of conspiracy and murder preferred against them by the prosecution team, Mr. Babatunde Oguntemowo and Mr. Olarewaju Ajanaku.
She said: “I pronounce the defendants guilty as charged in respect of the offence of murder and conspiracy and are hereby sentenced to death by hanging by the neck until their death.”
She urged youths to try to settle differences without resorting to deadly attacks.
The convicts had argued in court that they were invited by a friend to celebrate Christmas in 2014 when a boy told them that Akeem Afolabi who is a brother to the deceased had vowed to deal with them.
They claimed that had gone to inquire the reason for the threat but Akeem ordered them to go away but this generated into a fight and their attacker went inside to get a machete.
They argued that it was when they tried to dodge the swinging machete that Suleiman was slashed in the waist.
They also claimed that it was days later they heard of the victim’s death but the judge rejected their story on the basis that it sounded incredible and rehearsed.
She sentenced the trio to 12 years imprisonment for the crime of conspiracy before handing the death sentence.
Source: Naij.com
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