Man to die by hanging for killing yam farmer in Ekiti

Ekiti State High Court , Ado Ekiti
Division, on Monday, sentenced a 26 years
old man , Dele Ojo, to death by hanging for
killing the owner of a farm where he had
been stealing yam tubers .
Justice Abiodun Adesodun, in the court
judgment, said , “ The circumstances of this
case do not allow for a recommendation
of clemency to the governor on behalf of
the accused .
“ Therefore , the defendant is hereby
sentenced to death by hanging , may the
Lord have mercy upon his soul ,” the court
ordered .
The defendant, now condemned person ,
was said to have committed the offence on
or about September 13 , 2018 , at Iroko Ekiti
in Ijero Council area of Ekiti State when
he murdered one Ajayi Adewole , contrary
to Sec.319 of the Criminal Code Law ,
Cap .C 16 , Laws of Ekiti State , 2012 .
An eye witness , who was with the
deceased, had told the court , “ The
defendant had been stealing the
deceased’s yam for a long time, but on that
fateful day , they went to hide in the farm
in order to arrest the culprit .
“ About 2 : 00 a .m , they saw the defendant
carrying hunting lamp on his head,
pretending to be hunting and started
uprooting yam, the deceased shouted his
name , to evade arrest , he shot the
deceased at close range and ran away,
though , he was rushed to Ijero Ekiti
Specialist Hospital where he was
confirmed dead,” the witness said .
The prosecutor, Mr Olawale Fapohunda ,
who is the Attorney General of Ekiti State ,
had called four witnesses , the
Investigating Police Officer and a medical
doctor to prove his case.
The exhibits tendered in court included a
Dane gun , photographs of the deceased,
five tubers of yam, and the confessional
statements of the defendant among other
documents .
The defendant had testified in his own
defence through his lawyer , Mr Yinka
Oyeleke , and called no witnesses.