By Our Reporter
The Akure Division of the Ondo State High Court has sentenced a 21-year-old houseboy, Emmanuel Akpan, to death by hanging for the murder of his employer, Febisola Caroline Adedayo.
Delivering judgment, Justice Rotimi Olamide found Akpan guilty of murder, while his co-defendant, Goodness James Akpe, was discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The defendants were arraigned by the Ondo State Government on charges of conspiracy and murder under relevant provisions of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution told the court that the incident occurred on March 29, 2021, at Ifakanbale Street in the Sabo area of Ondo town, where the victim, a food vendor, was attacked in her home.
According to the prosecution, Akpan inflicted fatal machete injuries on the victim after the suspects discovered she had money in her residence. They were also said to have stolen valuables, including ATM cards, phones, and a generator.
In an attempt to conceal the crime, the attackers reportedly set the house ablaze to make the incident appear as a gas explosion.
The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on credible witness testimonies and confessional statements by the defendants.
Justice Olamide described the act as “cruel and inhuman,” noting that the victim had previously assisted the convict.
He subsequently sentenced Akpan to death by hanging, while ruling that there was no direct evidence linking Akpe to the crime, leading to his acquittal.