A Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced three artisans to death by hanging for the murder of mechanic Saheed Lawal in Offa Local Government Area. The convicts—Isiaka Jimoh, Lekan Ahmed, and Adebayo Saheed—were found guilty of culpable homicide after torturing Lawal to death over accusations of stealing motor oil.
The Kwara State Ministry of Justice prosecuted the trio for conspiracy and culpable homicide, offenses punishable by death under Section 221 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State. During the trial, led by Director of Public Prosecutions Ayoola Akande, the court heard that the crime took place on November 5, 2020, at a mechanic workshop near Government Day Secondary School, Amuyo, Offa.
The court was also informed that the convicts attempted to kill another artisan, Hamzat Ibrahim, by pouring hot red pepper into his ears during the same incident.
In delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Adebayo Yusuf stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Eight witnesses, including the Chief Medical Director of State General Hospital, Dr. O. M. Abdulsalam, testified that Lawal was dead on arrival at the hospital.
Justice Yusuf declared, “The three defendants are responsible for the death of Saheed Lawal, who was their colleague at the same workshop in Offa,” and sentenced them to death by hanging, saying, “May God have mercy on their souls.”