Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos State High Court (Special Offences Court), Ikeja, has sentenced a pastor, Erinmole Adetokunbo, and his accomplice, Adedoyin Oyekanmi, to death for killing a 7-year-old boy in the Ikorodu area of the state.
Justice Taiwo gave the verdict after the defendants changed their plea from not guilty to guilty.
On October 30, 2017, the court arraigned the convicts on a two-count charge that verges on murder.
The charge sheet states that on June 7, 2017, at number 6, Oke Oniburokun Street, Odokekere, Ikorodu, Oyekanmi and Adetokunbo conspired to murder Kazeem Rafiu.
They allegedly decapitated Rafiu, buried the head near the church’s altar, and stored the body in a canal.
Residents later apprehended Adetokunbo. He was said to have confessed to the crime, naming Oyekanmi as his accomplice.
The duo led a team of policemen to the church, where the victim’s remains were recovered.
After four years of being remanded in prison custody, the state re-arraigned the convict before the Special Offences Court on September 21, 2021, and the trial commenced.
At the resumption of the trial for the prosecutor to present another witness to prove the allegations against the convict, the court was informed by the state counsel, Mrs O. A. Bajulaiye and defence counsel, Ms Anthonia Otsokwa, that the convicts have decided to change their plea.
The judge ordered their plea to be taken, and they pleaded guilty to the two-count charges in Yoruba.
The state counsel, Mrs O. A. Bajulaiye, thereafter reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict them accordingly.
Begging of the mercy hearing, defendant counsel Ms Anthonia Otsokwa told the court that the convicts had realised their offence and were remorseful for the loss of the young child.
“We plead with the court to consider a sentence with a term of years,” she pleaded.
In her judgement, Justice Taiwo noted that the case is a very pathetic one, as the defendants conspired and did kill a young child by cutting off his head for ritual purposes.
“These defendants have committed a heinous crime and deserve no mercy. They have cruelly and intentionally killed a 7-year-old boy, depriving him and his family of a bright destiny.
“Section 222 of the Criminal Code of Lagos State had imposed the death penalty for premeditated murder, and I have no hesitation in imposing the said punishment.
”I hereby sentence Adedoyin Oyekanmi and Erinwole Adetokunbo to death for killing Kazeem Rafiu. May God have mercy on your souls,” she ruled.
