Prince Adewale Oyekan, son of the late Oba of Lagos has been sentenced to death, seven years after he was paraded for killing his boss, Alhaja Sikirat Ekun, a 62 year old businesswoman cum politician.
Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of an Ikeja High Court found Adewale guilty and that he gave one Balogun N6000 to kill the woman.
The convicts were said to have strangled the late politician and thrown her remains in a 1,000 feet well located in her residence.
In her ruling, Justice Adebiyi said that the prosecution had proved the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder beyond reasonable doubt.
She 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-count charge.
“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.
“Same is the punishment for conspiracy to commit murder as contained in Section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
“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 count one and two to death by hanging. May God the giver of life have mercy on your soul.”
The prosecution said the convicts committed the offences at 1:00 am on October 17, 2012 at the home of the deceased located at No. 5, Babatunde Lalega Street, Omole Phase One, Lagos.
