Mechanic sentenced to death by hanging for killing 3 months old

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja re-affirmed the death sentence passed on a mechanic for killing a three –month- old daughter of his pastor, Matthew Olubodun of the All Christian Fellowship Church, Ode Ekiti for rituals.

The convict, Akinola Olatunbosun abducted the child, Joy Faith Olubodun from inside the church after a night vigil in June 2003, when her mother and other congregation of the church were asleep.

The lower court was told that a search party went to the appellant’s house and found it locked up but he was eventually found and confessed to the pastor that he killed and buried Joy Faith Olubodun.

“He took the police and the pastor to where he killed and buried the child in a shallow grave. The body was exhumed and it was found that the child’s eyes were removed and the throat slashed,” the lower court heard.
The trial judge, Justice Jegede J, after hearing the case found the apprentice guilty of the offence of murder under Section 316 of the Criminal Code and sentenced him to death by hanging in pursuant to Section 319 of the Criminal code.

Not satisfied with the ruling, the convict approached the Ilorin division of the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment. After arguments were canvassed by both parties, the court in a split judgment of two against one, upheld the judgment of the trial court, while Justice Denton-West dissented.
But determined to upturn the decisions of the courts in his favour, the appellant proceeded to the Supreme Court in his quest to set aside the judgments.

However, the Justices of the apex court in a unanimous decision affirmed the judgments of the Court of Appeal and the trial high court and ruled that the appellant must die by hanging.