Court sentences killer of MTN staff to death by hanging

AKwara State High Court has sentenced one David Ogundele to death by hanging for killing one Abiola Tosin Ashinwo, an MTN telecommunication staff.

In the judgement he delivered, Justice Adebayo Yusuf convicted Ogundele on a two-count charge, after more than three years of legal battle.

The convict, according to the first count of the charge, stabbed Ashinwo with the intention of causing her death thereby committing an offence of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 229 of the penal code law.

The judge held that the prosecution had been able to prove the case of culpable homicide against Ogundele.

In proving the case before the court, the prosecutor, Abdulmumini Adebimpe Jimoh, called four witnesses; Inspector Yusuf Daudu, CPL Bunmi Adegboye, Abiola Ashinwo and ASP Gbadebo Adeyemi.

The exhibits tendered by the prosecutor included; a Toyota Camry car, a knife, a pair of slippers, photographs of the deceased and statement of the convict.

In the statement, which was admitted by the court, the convict narrated that, "On the 25th April, 2016, I woke up and prepared for work, I never knew how I found myself in Ilorin. I can never explain how it happened because I really prepared to go to work. Since I was now in Ilorin, I called my wife on phone that she should get dressed that I will take her to Omu-Aran that morning .... I got to Tosin’s house, since her mum was around, I felt like saying hello to her.

"I got there that morning. We exchanged pleasantries. Her mum said she was happy to see me and we discussed for few minutes. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed and an argument began and before I knew it, I stabbed her (Tosin) and her mum. Then, I came to myself, it was like a scale off my eyes..."