Killers of a corps member, Adebayo Mukaila, in Osogbo, capital of Osun State have been sentenced to death.
They are a herb seller, Jelli Kareem; commercial cycle rider, Oludayo Oludele, and an electrician, Awodeji Muyiwa.
The convicts pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned on 8 October 2020 alongside a vulcaniser, Anifowose Buliaminu, who they sold stolen recharge to after the robbery and killing.
During the trial, the prosecutor from the Ministry of Justice, Muyiwa Ogunleye, called four witnesses: the 10-year-old daughter of the deceased, whose father was killed in her presence; a family member, a pathologist and an investigative police officer. Also tendered were an autopsy report and other exhibits.
He said: “Kareem, Oludele and Muyiwa on 28 January 2020 in Omo West Area conspired to kill one Mukaila after robbing him of his phone, recharge cards and other valuables’’.
He added that Biliaminu also received a recharge card stolen from Mukaila, noting that offences of conspiracy, robbery, murder and possession of firearms contravened Sections 316, 319 and 324 of Criminal Code Law. Cap.34, Vol. 2. Laws of State, 2002 and Section 27 of the Robbery and Firearms Act Cap R11, LFN 2004.
The defence counsel, Shina Olaniyan, Legal Aid Counsel; Folashade Ipede and Suleiman Akano, urged the court to dispelled the case, noting that the prosecution did not prove the case of murder, conspiracy to armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms against them.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Adedapo Adeniji of the state High Court, Ile-Ife, stated that the prosecution proved the case beyond doubt.
He sentenced them to death for the offences and discharged and acquitted Biliaminu for receiving stolen recharge cards.
