Five Ibadan men to die by hanging for killing taxi driver

By Adebisi Fatima Sogbade

Five persons were sentenced to death by hanging on Monday by Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan over alleged conspiracy and murder of a taxi driver identified as Akeem Shittu.

The five persons identified as Segun Taiwo, 36, Kehinde Ademola, 46, Yahaya Adeniyi, 45, Chinonso Samson, 41 and Opadotun Michael, 32, were convicted on a two -count charge of conspiracy and murder by Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi.

Justice Ajayi found the convicts guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging.

Justice Ajayi in his judgment said, “due to the reasons provided for each of the defendants and circumstantial evidence of murder.

“I am of the considered view that this court could safely infer conspiracy in the acts that led to the death of Akeem Shittu.

“In the final analysis, I sentenced each of the defendant to 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder.

“Then on count two, each of the defendant is sentenced to death by hanging.”

The State Counsel led by Mrs K. K. Oloso, earlier told the court the convicts and others at large, on April 10, 2024, at about 8:30p.m at Elepe, Arulogun Road, Ojoo, Ibadan, conspired and murdered one Akeem Shittu by inflicting matchet cut on him.

She said Shittu (deceased), a taxi driver, was said to have hit a motorcycle transporting two persons on it. This led to an argument which they tried to settle at a nearby pub.

The deceased was asked to pay N50,000 to treat them but he gave them N8,000. He was not allowed to leave the scene, after which he was stripped naked but he later escaped from them.

He was however overpowered and macheted to death while his taxi was later found in front of one of the convicts’ wife’s shop.

According to the prosecuting counsel, the offence is contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000. (NAN)