A man, Abayomi Joseph, has been ordered to hang to death for killing his neighbour, Thomas Oluwole, in 2021 in Akure’s Ijoka area, Ondo State.
The order was issued by an Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, the state capital.
Joseph was found guilty of cutting to death Oluwole with a machete following an allegation of well water poisoning levied by the prisoner against the deceased’s daughter.
The prisoner had assaulted the 63-year-old bricklayer with a machete and chopped at his neck and other portions of his body, killing him.
He was arraigned in court on a single count of murder, based on information filed by an Assistant Chief Legal Officer from the Ondo State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Omotola Ologun.
The convict claimed he was mad when committing the crime during the procedures.
Following a series of arguments from both prosecution and defence lawyers, the court declared Joseph guilty.
The trial judge, Justice O.S Kuteyi, noted that because the defendant willfully attacked the deceased by beating him on the head with wood and slashing his skull with a cutlass, he could not be absolved from the death caused by his conduct.
While holding that the prosecution had proved the case of murder against the accused person beyond a reasonable doubt, Justice Kuteyi sentenced him to death by hanging.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard, BSCVG, has arrested a suspected cultist, Mr Jeremiah Gbogo.
The suspect was alleged to be in possession of a locally fabricated beretta pistol at a wake in Fiidi Council Ward in Makurdi Local Government Area of the state.
Recall that two other suspected cultists who murdered their victims were also apprehended at Benue Links motor park in a bid to escape from Makurdi town.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har said it took the combined efforts of security agencies, including the BCVG to prevent the suspected cultists from being lynched to death by irate mob.
Har further said the suspects have been handed over to the police for interrogation and prosecution.