Court sentences domestic staff to death for killing employer, daughter

A high court in Ikeja has sentenced one Joseph Ogbu to death by hanging for killing his employer, Ajoke John, and her daughter, Oreoluwa, in Lagos.

The prosecution told the court that Ogbu who was a domestic staff to the victims committed the crime at 9.30 p.m. on Ogunlana Drive, Surulere Lagos.

The prosecution said the defendant stabbed Oreoluwa to death, after robbing her of her car, phones, and Plasma TV.

He also robbed the 89-year-old mother of her Toyota Camry saloon car, with Registration No. FST 104 CW, LG plasma TV, motorway handset, one Gionee handset, one Nokia phone, one i-Tel Phone, and one power bank before strangling her to death.

The offence contravened the provisions of sections 222 and 297 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state, (2015).

Delivering judgment, Modupe Nicole-Clay, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution had sufficiently proven the three-count charge against the defendant.

Nicole-Clay held that the defendant in his confessional statement, admitted to living with the deceased and that he committed the crime.

“He killed Adejoke by strangling her and Oreoluwa by stabbing her to death,” the judge held.

 “As the defence did not raise an objection to the admissibility of the confessional statement, there is no doubt that the defendant confessed to the crimes.

“I have considered the evidence of the security guard, an Okada man, one Yahya Ibrahim, the house help, and a police inspector.

“The defendant could not give an explanation as to what he was doing with all the stolen items he was found with as at about 2 a.m on the date he was arrested.

“The court is satisfied with the total evidence to establish the guilt of the defendant.

“This court has found Joseph Ogbu guilty of these heinous crimes and you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your soul.”

Upon conviction, Ogbu pleaded with the court for mercy.

Speaking in pidgin, the convict said “the mama no die for my presence. I beg for mercy”.

Moses Enema, defence counsel, in his allocution, prayed the court to have mercy on the convict.

“The defendant is a first-time offender, a son to a young widow who is largely dependent on this son,” he said.

“In the course of the trial, my lord, the defendant was very remorseful, it is an indication that he is willing to turn a new leave. We do pray the court to temper justice with mercy.”

However, Olarewaju Daud, state counsel, urged the court to convict the defendant as charged.