An Ekiti State High Court , Ado Ekiti Division , on Monday , sentenced a 26 years old man , Dele Ojo , to death by hanging for killing the owner of a farm where he had been stealing yam tubers .
Justice Abiodun Adesodun , in the court judgment , said , “The circumstances of this case do not allow for a recommendation of clemency to the governor on behalf of the accused .
“ Therefore, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging , may the Lord have mercy upon his soul,” the court ordered .
The defendant , now condemned person, was said to have committed the offence on or about September 13 , 2018 , at Iroko Ekiti in Ijero Council area of Ekiti State when he murdered one Ajayi Adewole , contrary to Sec .319 of the Criminal Code Law , Cap.C 16 , Laws of Ekiti State , 2012 .
An eye witness , who was with the deceased , had told the court, “The defendant had been stealing the deceased ’s yam for a long time, but on that fateful day , they went to hide in the farm in order to arrest the culprit.
“About 2 : 00 a .m , they saw the defendant carrying hunting lamp on his head , pretending to be hunting and started uprooting yam , the deceased shouted his name , to evade arrest , he shot the deceased at close range and ran away , though, he was rushed to Ijero Ekiti Specialist Hospital where he was confirmed dead ,” the witness said .
The prosecutor , Mr Olawale Fapohunda , who is the Attorney General of Ekiti State , had called four witnesses , the Investigating Police Officer and a medical doctor to prove his case .
The exhibits tendered in court included a Dane gun, photographs of the deceased , five tubers of yam , and the confessional statements of the defendant among other documents .
The defendant had testified in his own defence through his lawyer , Mr Yinka Oyeleke , and called no witnesses .
