ICYMI: Court sentences three to death by hanging for killing couple, son

An Ogun state high court in Abeokuta has sentenced three men to death by hanging over the murder of Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye, a couple, and their son.

The three men are Lekan Adekanbi, Ahmed Odetola, and Waheed Adeniyi.

BACKGROUND

On January 1, 2023, the couple was found dead at their residence in Ibara government reservation area (GRA) in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

The incident was said to have happened shortly after the couple returned from a church service to usher in the new year.

The building belonging to the couple was also set ablaze, while Oreoluwa, their son, and another person were reportedly kidnapped.

Days later, Oreoluwa’s body was found floating in a river along Adigbe-Obada road in Abeokuta.

Subsequently, the police arrested Adekanbi, the couple’s driver, Odetola, and Adeniyi in connection with the murder.

Adekanbi reportedly confessed to masterminding the murder of the couple because they refused to increase his salary and rejected a loan request.

THE CONVICTION

The convicts were arraigned on a 24-count charge alongside six others.

Others included Temitope Fadairo, the mother of the couple’s driver, and Adenike Adekanbi, his wife, Anuoluwapo Owolaja, Azeez Usman, Abass Odetola, and Lukmon Adewusi.

The charges included conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, arson, escape from lawful custody, perverting the course of justice, receiving stolen property, and more. But they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In her judgment, Basirat Adebowale, the trial judge, held that the three convicts — Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi — were majorly involved in the murder and were guilty of nine charges.

The judge ruled that the prosecution had proven that the trio were guilty of the murder charges.

Adebowale convicted the trio and sentenced them to death by hanging.

“Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi, for killing father, mother, and son; you don’t deserve mercy,” she said.

The judge sentenced Adekanbi’s wife to two years imprisonment for hiding her husband, while Adekanbi’s mother got a one-year jail term for making false statements to police officers.

The judge sentenced Usman, a welder, to 14 years imprisonment for receiving stolen property, two years as an accessory to the fact of armed robbery, and seven years for compounding felonies. The sentences were meant to run concurrently with hard labour.

Owolaja got two years imprisonment as an accessory to the crime, while Odetola and Adewusi were discharged of the offences preferred against them.