A High Court of the Kwara State in Ilorin has sentenced three artisans to death by hanging for the murder of a mechanic, Saheed Lawal, in Offa Local Government Area.
According to Linda Ikeji Blog, the defendants, Isiaka Jimoh, Lekan Ahmed, and Adebayo Saheed, were culpable of homicide after murdering Lawal over suspicion of motor oil theft by torture.
The three individuals were charged with conspiracy and culpable homicide punishable by death under Section 221 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State by the Kwara State Ministry of Justice.
The offense was said to have occurred on November 5, 2020, at a mechanic workshop off Government Day Secondary School, Amuyo, Offa, by the prosecution spearheaded by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ayoola Akande.
The convicts were also accused of attempting to kill another craftsman, Hamzat Ibrahim, by pouring hot red pepper into his ears in the same attack, the court further heard.
During the trial, eight witnesses were presented by the prosecution, including the Chief Medical Director of State General Hospital, Dr. O. M. Abdulsalam, who stated that Lawal was brought to the hospital lifeless.
In passing judgment on Thursday, Justice Adebayo Yusuf ruled that the case of the prosecution had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
“According to the evidence before the court, the three defendants murdered Saheed Lawal, a colleague and their co-worker at the same Offa workshop,” the judge declared.
He then sentenced them to death by hanging, declaring, “The three defendants are to die by hanging until they breathe their last. May God have mercy on their souls.”
