The Ondo State High Court has sentenced three out of four suspected killers of the 58-year-old Mrs. Funke Olakunrin to death by hanging.
Olakunrin was the daughter of the Afenifere leader, Mr. Reuben Fasoranti.
The deceased was killed by the convicts along Benin-Ore-Sagamu Expressway in the Ore Odigbo Local Government Area of the state in June 2019, on her way to Lagos State.
Apart from Olakunrin, the convicts were also found guilty of killing one Mathew Ogunbiyi.
Initially, four persons – Muhammed Usman, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu and Awalu Abubakar were arrested by the police and charged to court for the offence.
They were charged with four counts including felony to wit murder, murder, kidnapping.
Delivering judgment, the judge, William Olamide, discharged and acquitted the fourth defendant, Abubakar, who was charged with aiding and abetting the crime.
Olamide held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge delivered the judgement after listening to submissions by the prosecution and defence counsel and adopted the final written addresses.
Charles Titiloye appeared for the prosecution while Obafemi Bawa appeared for the defence.
The convicts were first arraigned at an Akure Magistrates’ Court, which ordered their remand in Owo Correctional Centre.
Then, the convicts had no representation in court but pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The then state attorney-general, Mr. Kola Olawoye, who represented the state, declared that the state government was ready to take over the case.
He urged the court to rely on the statement deposed to by an official of FSARs, Akeem Ogunjobi, who prayed that the suspects should be remanded at the Correctional Centre in Owo because Akure Correctional facility was over-stretched.
He also pleaded with the court to allow the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to conduct COVID-19 test on the defendants before moving them to the Correctional Centre.
According to him, the test was necessary because of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe. He said the health status of the four accused persons must be ascertained in order not to infect other inmates at the facility.
Magistrate Victoria Bob-Manuel, in her ruling, granted the prayers of the prosecuting counsel and remanded the accused at Owo Correctional facility. She also ordered that their samples must be tested before being remanded at the centre.
Bob-Manuel, however, disclosed that the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the defendants but adjourned the case for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution.
With NAN report
