Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi of the Oyo State High Court on Monday sentenced five persons to d3ath by hanging over conspiracy and m8rder of a taxi driver.
The convicts: 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 m8rder.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Justice Ajayi found the convicts guilty and sentenced them to d3ath by hanging.
Justice Ajayi in his judgment said: “Due to the reasons provided for each of the defendants and circumstantial evidence of m8rder.
“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 defendants to 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit m8rder.
“Then on count two, each of the defendants is sentenced to d3ath by hanging.”
The State Counsel led by K. K. Oloso, earlier told the court the convicts and others at large on April 10, 2024 at about 8:30pm at Elepe, Arulogun Road, Ojoo, Ibadan conspired and murdered one Shittu by inflicting machete cuts 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.