The United States government has announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a Nigerian fugitive Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, who is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.
Olawusi, who was living in Rhode Island, USA, was among the U.S. Marshals Service’s 15 Most Wanted fugitives following his alleged involvement in the death of his three-month-old son.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Marshals and credited to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Don Freeman, Olawusi was accused of inflicting severe bodily harm on his infant son, who was found by police and firefighters in a critical state on April 3, 2017. The child, who sustained injuries to 18 different parts of his body, later died after being on life support for six months.
Freeman explained that Olawusi was initially arrested and arraigned on April 20, 2017, on charges of first-degree child abuse, but was released pending trial. However, after his release, Olawusi fled the country and has since been on the run. The murder charge was added following the death of the child in October 2017.
“A man wanted in Rhode Island on charges of murder, inflicting serious bodily injury to a child, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution has been added to the U.S. Marshals Service 15 Most Wanted fugitives list with an up to $25,000 reward being offered for information leading to his arrest,” Freeman said in the statement.
The tragic incident occurred when Providence Police and Fire personnel responded to a call and found the infant bleeding from the mouth and nose at a residence in Rhode Island. The child was in cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated at the hospital, where doctors discovered a pattern of long-term abuse, including a skull fracture, brain injury, and multiple fractures across his ribs, legs, arms, and clavicle.
Despite efforts to save him, the child died six months later on October 31, 2017, which led to the additional murder charge against Olawusi. After fleeing the country in June 2017, Olawusi reportedly received assistance from family members in Nigeria.
Freeman warned that Olawusi remained a danger to children and the public, stating that U.S. law enforcement was fully committed to apprehending him. “Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child and has fled the country to avoid justice. We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public.”
Authorities urged anyone with information on Olawusi’s whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or submit tips through the USMS Tips App. Olawusi, also known by the alias Olekun Olawusi, was described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing approximately 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
The U.S. Marshals Service reiterated their determination to bring Olawusi to justice, vowing to use all available resources to ensure he was held accountable for his actions.
