Man to die by hanging for killing co-tenant in Ondo

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a middle-aged man, Sunday Omoniyi, to death by hanging for stabbing to death his co-tenant, Michael Oyebanji, during a fight.

Omoniyi was arraigned on a one-count charge of murder contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

One of the witnesses, Ismaila Adefaka, told the court that the defendant and the deceased were his tenants.

Adefaka said that the incident happened on July 23, 2022, at about 6:30 am at 4 Canaanland, Ijoka Road in Akure.

According to him, “On that day, I suddenly heard noises which forced me to trace the uproar to the defendant’s apartment where I met the deceased in the pool of his blood after he was reportedly stabbed by the defendant with a knife.”

He added that he lodged a formal complaint to the police after the deceased was confirmed dead at the hospital.

Other co-tenants, Adedeji Gift, Adedugbe Opeyemi, and Aremu Opeyemi, separately told the court that the defendant and the deceased argued that morning over the closing of the door to the house.

They added that the argument was resolved and everyone went his way.

According to one of them, “After we left the room, we suddenly heard the deceased’s voice and rushed back into the room, only to meet him on the floor in the pool of his blood and the defendant with a knife in his hand stained with blood.”

Adedugbe Opeyemi said that the defendant confessed to having stabbed the deceased in retaliation for a fist blow on him by the late Oyebanji.

Inspector Fisayo Oladepo, Police prosecutor, told the court that the defendant confessed to having committed the crime after his arrest by police detectives.

Delivering judgment, Justice W. Olamide said that the prosecution had successfully proved the case of murder against the defendant and thereby sentenced him to death by hanging.