A 21-year-old Emmanuel Akpan has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, Ondo State Capital for the murder of his employer, Febisola Adedayo.
Penpushing reports that the trial judge Rotimi Olamide, in his judgement in charge number AK/57C/2022, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt on the charge of murder against the second defendant.
The case contained two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder, contrary to Sections 324, 316 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Laws of Ondo State, 2006, an incident which occurred on March 29, 2021 at Ifakanbale Street, Sabo, Ondo town.
Penpushing further reports that the deceased, a food vendor, was attacked in her residence at night, explaining that the defendants conspired to kill Adedayo and the second defendant, Akpan, inflicted fatal machete cuts on her neck, leading to her death
The evidence before the court showed that the suspects allegedly killed the woman after hearing she had money in her house and later attempted to cover up the crime by setting the building on fire to make it look like a gas explosion.
Penpushing also reports that police findings indicated that the defendants murdered their employer in order to steal valuables, including ATM cards, phones and a generator and then went ahead to set the house ablaze to destroy any evidence.
The judge, however, rejected the denial by the defendants, emphasizing that their claims were contradicted by evidence before the court, and held that the second defendant’s account of his arrest was not credible, noting that his conduct after the incident pointed to guilt.
Penpushing reports that the judge described the act as cruel, inhuman and undeserving of mercy, especially considering that the deceased had once assisted the defendants, and found Akpan guilty of murder and pronounced the mandatory sentence
“The sentence of the court upon you, Emmanuel Akpan, is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead, and may the Lord have mercy on your soul,” the judge declared.
Penpushing further reports that the court, however, discharged and acquitted the convict co-defendant, Goodness Akpe, who were arrested in March 2021, due to insufficient evidence to convict him
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