Prince Adewale Oyekan,
son of late Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, has been sentenced to death by
an Ikeja High Court over the murder of a 62-year-old businesswoman, Alhaja
Sikirat Ekun.
The trial began on
April 14, 2015.
Oyekan was sentenced
alongside a domestic staff, Lateef Balogun.
The duo had been in
custody for seven years after strangling Ekun and throwing her corpse into a
well in her home.
Justice Raliatu
Adebiyi said the prosecution had proved the charges preferred against the duo
beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering judgment she
said, ”The circumstantial evidence was strong and cogent, the act of the
defendants in killing the deceased was intentional and premeditated.
“The court finds that
the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence of conspiracy
and murder and are accordingly found guilty of the two-count charge.
“Section 221 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 stipulates the punishment for the offence of
murder as follows. Subject to the provisions of any other law, a person who
commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death.
“Same is the
punishment for conspiracy to commit murder as contained in Section 231 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
“The above cited
provisions of the law does not give the court any discretion whatsoever in
sentencing the defendants.
“For this reason, the
first and second defendants are hereby sentenced accordingly on each of count
one and two to death by hanging. May God the giver of life have mercy on your
soul.”
The convicts committed
the offences at 1 am on Oct. 17, 2012, at the home of the deceased located at
No. 5, Babatunde Lalega St., Omole Phase One, Lagos. This is according to the
prosecution led by Akin George.
The prosecution stated
that the deceased was a restauranteur who knew Oyekan due to her friendship
with his late mother. To render assistance to the prince, Ekun employed him as
the manager of her restaurant while Balogun the second defendant was a former
domestic staff of Ekun who was employed by her to take care of her elderly
father. His employment was however terminated following a dispute with Ekun.
The convicts
conspired, killed the deceased and threw her corpse in a well within the
premises of her home and took over her businesses and properties including her
bus which was sold for N170,000.
“When any enquiry was
made by family and friends about her whereabouts, Oyekan informed them that she
had travelled to Abuja for the Ileya (Id el Kabir) festival. He passed this
information by sending a text message from Ekun’s mobile phone.
“Following panic and
worry from members of Ekun’s family and after an extensive search, her corpse
was found two months later in December 2012 by well diggers and firefighters.
“The convicts had
placed a generator, a gas cylinder and other household items on the corpse to
conceal it in the 1,000 feet well,” he said.