Justice Olukayode Ogundana of the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has jailed 42-year-old Prince Ademola Omoniyi, to death by hanging for killing the traditional ruler of his community.
Omoniyi was charged with murder which contravenes Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.
The charge read, “Ademola Stephen Omoniyi on August 20, 2018, at Odo Oro Ekiti in the Ikole Ekiti Judicial Division, murdered His Royal Majesty, Oba Gbadebo Ibitoye Olowoselu ll, the Onise of Odo Oro Ekiti in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.”
According to one of the title holders, who testified before the court, “we were at the palace on that day for the Onise-in-Council meeting around 7am. Before the commencement of the meeting, Ademola Omoniyi entered the palace and sat on kabiyesi’s seat, but the chiefs frowned at his action and drove him away.
“After the meeting, the late Onise, in the company of his clerk, were trekking back to the main palace when Omoniyi came out of his hiding and stabbed kabiyesi with a knife to death. Before that day, he had been parading himself as the king of the town.”
According to the state prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Morakinyo, five witnesses testified and he tendered a medical report, statements of the convict, a knife and a rope, among others, as exhibits, while the convict spoke through his counsel, Tope Salami, and called no witness.
Delivering judgement, Justice Ogundana disagreed with the claim that the defendant was insane.
“Consequently, the defendant, Omoniyi Ademola Stephen, is hereby sentenced to death and shall be hanged until he breathes his last,” the judge added.
