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Justice Adedapo Adeniji of the Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife on Friday sentenced a 30-year-old man, Agboola Taiwo, to death by hanging for murder.
Taiwo was convicted of killing a 62-year-old woman, Jadesola Olubayo, on October 11, 2023, at a palm oil processing site near the Amula River in Olokemeji Village, Ifetedo, in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
In his ruling, Justice Adeniji held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty of three counts of murder.
He sentenced the convict to 14 years in prison for attempted rape (count I), two years in prison for indecent assault (count II), and the death penalty by hanging for murder (count III).
Prosecutor, Omotayo Babalola of the Ministry of Justice, told the court that the deceased went to the processing site with his granddaughter, Latifat Adeyemo, for palm oil production.
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He said the owner of the site, Ajibade Bashiru, then left them to look after a nearby farm.
According to the prosecutor, the convict then arrived at the location, stripped himself naked and caused panic.
Babalola said the deceased and her granddaughter tried to escape, but the convict chased and overpowered the elderly woman.
He added that his grandchildren ran to Bashiru’s farm for help, but before they returned, the convict had stripped the deceased naked and killed him by hitting him in the face with stones and sticks.
Prosecutors said the deceased was found in a pool of blood, while the convict fled but was later arrested near the scene and handed over to the police.
Babalola noted that the offense is contrary to Articles 319, 359 and 360 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Vol. II, Osun State Laws, 2002.
Defense lawyers, Oluwaseun Akintola-Philip-Idiok and Victoria Ugochi-Layi-Jacob, pleaded for leniency, but the court rejected the request.
