Six men recieve death sentences in Osun

An Osun State High Court sitting Osogbo has passed death sentences to six men by hanging for Capital offences.

Four of the six men were judged for allegedly robbing and killing a certain Victor Akinbile, identified as a relative of Mr. Benedict Alabi, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Osun State.

The men pleaded not guilty but were later proved guilty, convicted and sentenced. They have been identified as Hammed Rafiu, 37; Rasidi Waidi, 39; Kayode Sunday, 29; and Owolabi Bashiru, 54.

Dele Akintayo, counsel of the prosecution from the state Ministry of Justice, told the court that Mr. Akinbile had come to Osun on November 26, 2018 for the swearing-in ceremony of the ex-Governor Adeboyega Oyetola, and was later kidnapped by the four men when he went to Ikirun to spend the night.

They forcefully entered the Mr. Akinbile’s room, demanding from him the sum of N10 million.

Akinbile was later locked-up in the boot of his Toyota Camry and driven to a spot along the Osogbo/Ikirun road where the car was set on fire.

It was also reported that Akinbile was murdered after transferring N3 million into the account of one of his abductors and giving them cash.

Besides sentencing the convicts to death, Justice Jide Falola also ruled that none of the convicts should benefit from any state pardon due to the severity of their offence.

The two others judged by Justice Falola were Mutiu Azeez a.k.a. Tompolo and Afolabi Mayowa, aged 41 and 35, respectively.

The duo were also sentenced to death by hanging on similar crime charges of armed robbery and murder.

Report has it that Azeez and Mayowa flagged down a commercial motorcyclist and asked him to take them to Egbeda, only to kill him later and steal his motorbike.