A Lagos prince, Adewale Oyekan, has been sentenced to death by the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for killing a 62-year-old businesswoman, Sikirat Ekun.
Adewale, son of late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, was sentenced alongside a domestic help, Lateef Balogun, on Monday by Justice Raliat Adebiyi for strangling Ekun around 1am on October 1, 2012, and throwing her body into a well.
The offence was committed at the deceased’s home at No 5, Babatunde Lalega Street, Omole Phase-1 Lagos.
Balogun’s job was reportedly terminated after a dispute between Ekun, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and him, and this led to a conspiracy between the convicts.
It was reported that after the convicts killed the deceased, they threw her body into a well in her house and took over her business and properties. They also sold her bus for N170,000.
The prosecutor, Akin George, had told the court that when an inquiry was made by family and friends about Ekun’s whereabouts, Oyekan had sent a text message to family members from the deceased’s phone, saying she had travelled to Abuja for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Her corpse was found two months after in December 2012 by well diggers and firefighters.
The prosecutor added that the convicts had placed a generator, gas cylinder and other household items in the 1,000 feet to conceal the corpse.
Delivering her judgment, Justice Adebiyi said, “The circumstantial evidence was strong and cogent, the act of the defendants in killing the deceased was intentional and premeditated. The court finds that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence of conspiracy and murder and are accordingly found guilty of the two counts.
“Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 stipulates the punishment for the offence of murder as follows: Subject to the provisions of any other law, a person who commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death.”
She added, “Same is the punishment for conspiracy to commit murder as contained in Section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and the above-cited provisions of the law does not give the court any discretion whatsoever in sentencing the defendants.
“For this reason, the first and second defendants are hereby sentenced accordingly on each of counts one and two to death by hanging. May God the giver of life have mercy on your soul.”
