42- year- old man to die by hanging for killing Ekiti monarch

AN Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 42- year- old Omoniyi Ademola , to death by hanging for killing a monarch.

The convict was arraigned on a count charge of murder, contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.

Stephen was said to have killed the monarch, Oba Gbadebo Ibitoye, the Onise of Odo- Oro Ekiti in Ikole Local Council of Ekiti State on August 20, 2018.

One of the Chiefs, who testified before the court said: ‘’ We were at the palace on that day for Onise in Council meeting, at about 7: 00 a. m., before the commencement of the meeting, Ademola entered the palace and sat on Kabiyesi’s seat , but the Chiefs frowned on his action and drove him away.

“After the meeting, the late Onise in company of his male clerk were trekking back to the main palace, Ademola came out of his hiding and attacked Kabiyesi with a knife and stabbed him to death. Before that day he had been parading himself as the king of the town,” he said.

To proof his case, the state counsel, Adegboyega Morakinyo, called five witnesses and tendered a medical report, statement of the convict, knife and rope among others as exhibits, while the convict spoke through his counsel Tope Amr Salami and called no witness.

In his judgment, Justice Olukayode Ogundana dispelled the notion that the defendant is insane.

“Consequently, the defendant, Omoniyi Ademola Stephen is hereby sentenced to death and shall be hanged until he breathes his last. May the good Lord have mercy upon his soul,” the court ruled.