Lagos Court Sentences Man to Death for Murder after Sachet Water Dispute

By Emmanuel Daniji

A disagreement over sachet water that turned violent in Ikoyi in 2022 has ended with Adakole Ogbodo being sentenced to death by the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.

Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay convicted Ogbodo of murdering a man identified simply as Bolaji following the violent altercation at 66B Mosley Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, on January 31, 2022.

The court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through what the judge described as strong and compelling circumstantial evidence.

The Lagos State Government had accused Ogbodo of killing Bolaji with an iron object and a knife. The charge, filed on June 20, 2022, was brought under Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which prescribes the death penalty for murder.

During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses, including carpenter Chigozie Paul and police officers Inspector Damian Ogunye and Inspector Adeniyi Shola.

Paul told the court that Ogbodo and Bolaji had been eating together before an argument reportedly broke out over sachet water.

According to his testimony, the disagreement escalated into a fight, during which he saw Ogbodo hit Bolaji with a scaffolding pipe. He said Bolaji fell and Ogbodo followed him across the road, where the assault allegedly continued.

Paul said he later saw Bolaji’s lifeless body on Mosley Road the following morning, while Ogbodo was sitting a short distance away.

He also testified that when police officers arrived and asked Ogbodo whether he knew the deceased, he answered yes. When asked who killed Bolaji, Ogbodo reportedly responded, “Him,” referring to himself.

However, under cross-examination, Paul admitted that he did not witness the actual moment when the fatal injuries were inflicted.

Inspector Ogunye told the court that police responded to a murder report, visited the scene, documented the body and took it to the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, for examination.

He also testified that Ogbodo was arrested at the scene and that a knife was recovered from him.

Inspector Shola told the court that the case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigation.

The defence challenged the prosecution’s case, arguing that there were contradictions in the testimonies and that no witness had seen the precise moment Bolaji was killed. The defence also pointed to the absence of an autopsy report establishing the cause of death.

Justice Nicol-Clay, however, held that the absence of a direct eyewitness did not prevent the court from relying on circumstantial evidence where the evidence formed a complete and compelling chain pointing to the accused.

The judge found that Ogbodo had been seen assaulting Bolaji and was subsequently found near his body, circumstances she held were sufficient to establish his responsibility for the death.

The court also rejected the argument that the absence of medical evidence was fatal to the prosecution’s case, holding that there was sufficient evidence linking Ogbodo’s unlawful act to Bolaji’s death.

On the question of intent, the judge held that striking someone on the head with a scaffolding rod was an act capable of causing death or grievous bodily harm.

The court consequently convicted Ogbodo of murder.

Before sentencing, his lawyer appealed for mercy, telling the court that Ogbodo had been in custody since 2022 and lacked family support.

Justice Nicol-Clay, however, held that the applicable law prescribed a mandatory death sentence for murder and that the court had no discretion over the punishment.

Ogbodo was therefore sentenced to death for the murder of Bolaji.