A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced a domestic staff, Joseph Ogbu, to death by hanging for killing his employer, an octogenarian, Ajoke and her daughter, Oreoluwa, in their home in Lagos.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay, found the defendant guilty of a three-count charges of armed robbery and murder, preferred against him by the State Government.
The trial judge held that the court has carefully
considered the evidence of the security guard, an Okada man, one Yahya Ibrahim, the house help and a police Inspector to give the verdict.
According to her the convict admitted to living with them and he was the only witness of the incident.
She stated that the defence did not raise objection to the admissibility of the confessional statement.
According to the judge, the defendant could not give explanation of what he was doing with all the stolen items he was found with as at about 2:00a.m on the date he was arrested.
“The evidence are shown to the satisfaction of this court and the court has established guilt against the defendant.
“He is hereby guilty as charged.”
After convicting him, the judge told the Joseph Ogbu, “I have to hear from you, you have been found guilty.
The convict replied in Pidgin English, “The mama no die for my presence. I beg for mercy,” clasping his hand to his face.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Mr. Moses Enema told the judge that the defendant is a first time offender, a son to a young widow, largely dependent on this son.
“In the course of the trial, my lord, the defendant was very remorseful, it’s an indication that he is willing to turn a new leave. We do pray the court to temper justice with mercy.
Sentencing him to death for all the three counts, Justice Nicole-Clay pronounced, “This court has found Joseph Ogbu guilty of these heinous crimes, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your soul.
The convict was said to have committed the offence on June 19, 2019 by strangling the old woman to death and stabbing the daughter, Oreoluwa, to death.
He pleaded not guilty when arraigned on October 22, 2019, to a three-count charge of armed robbery and murder, contrary to Section 222 and 297 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
According to the charge information, Ogbu, while armed with a knife, robbed Adejoke John of her Toyota Camry Saloon car, with Registration No. FST 104 CW, LG plasma TV, motorway handset, one Gionee handset, one Nokia phone, one i-Tel Phone and one power bank.
The prosecutor said the incident took place at 4, Ogunlana Drive, Surulere area of the state at 9:30 p.m.
