A Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver Andrew Ominikoron to death for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer Oluwabamise Ayanwola. Justice Serifat Sonaike, who delivered the judgment over two and a half hours, ruled that the Lagos State Government successfully proved beyond reasonable doubt that Ominikoron committed the crime. The judge held, “that for the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you.”
Despite the absence of direct eyewitness testimony, the court relied on circumstantial evidence, a pathologist’s findings, and Bamise’s dying declaration, which all indicated the defendant was the last person seen with her before her death on February 26, 2022.
Ominikoron was also convicted for the rape of Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu, a 29-year-old woman he assaulted on November 25, 2021. The judgment highlighted his established pattern of sexually assaulting female passengers, supported by extrajudicial statements from two victims, including a voice note sent by Bamise shortly before her death.
The court ruled that Bamise did not give consent to sexual intercourse but noted that medical reports did not confirm penetration or the presence of semen, suggesting that the rape attempt was either unsuccessful or incomplete.
As a result, the defendant was discharged on the rape charge related to Bamise but found guilty of attempted rape. He was also discharged on the count of conspiracy due to insufficient evidence from the prosecution.
The prosecution team, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, Director of Public Prosecution in Lagos, urged the court to apply the maximum sentence, while defence counsel Abayomi Omotubora appealed for leniency during allocutus.
Source : https://www.channelstv.com/
