An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital has sentenced a 78-year-old community leader, Ojo Komolafe, to death by hanging for killing a School Proprietor, Taofik Babalola.
The convict, Komolafe, who had earlier pleaded not guilty, reportedly killed his victim with a gun in 2021 and was said to have committed the offence on August 7, 2021, in the Kajola area of Odigbo council.
It was gathered that the deceased was reportedly sleeping when he was shot at close range.
Police prosecutor, H.M. Falowo called four witnesses, which included the deceased’s wife; a neighbour; a police officer, and a pathologist.
In evidence, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Babalola, said she heard a gunshot and immediately ran out and saw the convict holding a gun.
According to her, “I saw the defendant coming out of my husband’s room and I immediately took to my heels for fear that he could also shoot me.
“Thereafter, I rushed to my husband’s room and met him on his bed in the pool of his blood, shouting with his last breath that Mr. Komolafe shot him.
“I rushed out and called people to come to my aid, but my husband died in the process,” she narrated.
However, the convict denied the allegation saying the deceased’s wife was asked to implicate him.
According to Komolafe, some suspected cult members he reported a case of arson conspired with the deceased’s wife to lie against him.
He further stated that he was in his house with his wife when he also heard the gunshot that killed the victim.
In his ruling, Justice Yemi Fasanmi, who noted some contradictions in the defendant’s statement, held that the claim that some people conspired against the convict was mere assumption.
According to the judge, the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that there was direct evidence that linked the convict to the scene of the crime as well as being responsible for the death of the deceased.
The Judge said that “It is my finding that the defendant caused the death of the deceased by shooting him with a gun at close range, which subsequently led to his death. The convict was also seen fleeing the place of the crime. On the whole, I find the defendant guilty of the two counts as charged.’’
