The son of the traditional ruler of Mafoluku, in the Oshodi Area of Lagos State, Ibrahim Omilade and two others have been sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Kudirat Jose of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.

Justice Jose pronounced the verdict after Omilade and his co-convicts, Shola Oni and Kayode Oni – who are siblings, were found guilty of a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder brought against them by the Lagos State government.

The convicts were accused of murdering one Suleiman Afolabi during a fight on Christmas day in 2012 at Eyin Ogun Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, by inflicting multiple machete cut on him.

Trouble began for the trio on 25th December, 2012 during a fight at the deceased’s house when, according to the defendants, they were invited by a neighbour to celebrate Christmas with him. The convicts claimed that not too long after they got to the house, a young boy came in and informed them that the deceased’s brother, Akeem Afolabi had threatened to deal with them.

They further claimed that they went to inquire about the reason for the threat but while discussing with the said Akeem, he ordered them to leave. Akeem was alleged to have gone inside the house to get a cutlass with which he tried to attack one of them, an attempt, the convict claimed one of them blocked with his hand and got injured.

The convicts further narrated to the court during trial that it was while they were trying to dodge and plead with a berserk Akeem that Suleiman, the younger brother to the deceased was hit on the waist. They said they got to know some days later that a doctor had pronounced the deceased dead.

However, the judge said their testimony sounded rehearsed and polished, hence she relied on the evidence before the court presented by both the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Oguntemowo and Olarewaju Ajanaku as well as points of law to pass judgement of death for the murder and 12 years for conspiracy counting from the day they were arrested.

Justice Jose, in her judgment, said “I pronounce the defendants guilty in respect of the charge of murder and conspiracy. I hereby sentence them to death. They shall be hanged by the neck until their death.”

The judge also used the opportunity to caution youths to learn from the ordeal that befell the convicts, she stressed that youths should stop going round to attack people to settle scores.