A Lagos State High Court presided over by Justice Sherifat Sonaike at Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced Benjamin Ogundero to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of his wife, Chinyere Ogundero, and her brother, Ifeanyi Joseph, in April 2022.
The court found Ogundero guilty of setting both victims on fire while they slept in their home in Abule Ado, Lagos following a heated domestic dispute.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, February 27, 2025, Justice Sonaike ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Ogundero deliberately planned and carried out the attack.
Describing the act as “wickedness of the highest order,” the judge condemned his actions as one of the most heinous crimes a person could commit.
The prosecution team, led by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mr. Martins Babajide, argued that the man had been angry over the fact that his wife owned the house they lived in, which she had purchased while working in the banking sector.
This anger, it was said, was a key factor in his decision to commit the crime.
Witnesses described the horrific scene, with one testifying that Chinyere’s body was so badly burned that her limbs fell off.
Ifeanyi Joseph died from severe burns that caused his body to stop circulating blood.
The court also heard from a neighbor who saw Ogundero running from the burning house with a fuel gallon, further solidifying his involvement in the crime.
Ogundero’s actions were deemed to be driven by personal grievances and anger, with the court finding no remorse throughout the trial.
Justice Sonaike stated that the evidence before the court clearly showed that the defendant had indeed killed the deceased and deserved the maximum punishment.
She affirmed that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime.
The court found Benjamin Ogundero guilty on four counts of murder and arson.
Read Also: Nigeria, Saudi Arabia sign pact to tap into $7.7trn halal economy
“For the charge of murder, Benjamin Ogundero, the sentence of this court is that you shall be hanged by the neck until you die,” the judge ruled.
For the charge of arson, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment, which would commence from the date of his conviction.
According to the court, the defendant showed no remorse throughout the proceedings.
“The actions of the defendant are the worst things a person can do to another human being,” the judge stated.
Ogundoro, 50, was arraigned on December 7, 2022, on a four-count charge of murder preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.
He was alleged to have killed his wife, Chinyere, who had just returned from Scotland, and her brother, Ifeanyi, by setting them ablaze.
The prosecution said the incident happened on April 1, 2022 around 3.30am at House 5, Zone 7, Oteyi Garden Estate Abule Ado, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos state.
The state alleged that the defendant poured petrol on the bodies of his wife and his brother-in-law, Ifeanyi, and the mattress and set them ablaze while asleep, which led to their death.
@The Nation