Lagos hotel staffer sentenced to death for killing his employer, manager

An Ikeja high court in Lagos has sentenced Jeffrey Ehizojie, a hotel staffer, to death by hanging for killing Olusola Olusoga, his employer, and Tunji Omikunle, the hotel manager.

Oyindamola Ogala, presiding judge, on Tuesday, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Ogala found Ehizojie guilty of beating and strangling the owner and managing director of Etsahol Hotel and Suites located at Ojodu-Berger, Lagos.

Ehizojie was said to have also strangled Omikunle to death.

In her ruling, the presiding judge said the crux of the case was premised on the confessional statement of the convict and circumstantial evidence.

Ogala said the court considered the statement of the defense, wherein Ehizojie said one of the hotel staff, Henry, informed him that he observed that the owner of the hotel kept huge sums of money at home.

‘CONFESSIONAL STATEMENT IS BEST EVIDENCE’

“The defendant, in his confessional statement said that Olusoga treated her workers badly, so they planned to tie her and collect her money,” NAN quoted Ogala as saying.

“Confessional statement is the best evidence to ground conviction and as held in several cases, it can be relied upon solely where voluntary.

“It is curious that the defendant, who was privy to the state of affairs in the hotel, told the court that he was shocked when the police informed him of the death of his boss and the manager, when he was arrested in Port Harcourt.

“There is no doubt that the defendant was present at the premises of the scene of crime as confirmed by him in his evidence in chief and exhibits before the court.”

The judge held that the court had carefully considered the evidence of the defendant, particularly his account of how he left the hotel premises on January 25, 2019.

“The court believes that the defendant indeed wrote the confessional statement (exhibit PW2a-c) and his feeble attempt to retract same was to exonerate himself from the commission of the deadly act,” Ogala said.

“After a careful consideration of the facts in this case, I hereby find the defendant guilty of the two-count charge against him.

“The sentencing of the court upon you Jeffrey Ehizogie is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”