Kemisola Oye
A domestic staffer, Joseph Ogbu was earlier today sentenced to death by hanging for killing his employer, an 89-year-old grandmother, Ajoke and her daughter, Oreoluwa, in their home in Lagos.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay, sitting at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja found the defendant guilty of the three-count charge of armed robbery and murder preferred on him.
The charges were slammed on the convict by the Lagos State Government.
The defendant reportedly committed the offence on 19 June 2019 when he killed one Adejoke John by strangulating her to death and stabbing Oreoluwa to death.
He however pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of armed robbery and murder contrary to sections 222 and 297 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State, 2015 when he was arraigned on 22nd October 2019,
Ogbu, while armed with a knife, reportedly robbed Adejoke John of her Toyota Camry Saloon car, with Registration No. FST 104 CW, LG plasma TV, motorway handset, one Gionee handset, one Nokia phone, one i-Tel Phone and one power bank.
The prosecutor said the incident took place at 4, Ogunlana Drive, Surulere area of the state at 9:30 p.m. on the day in question.
The Lagos State prosecuting counsel stated that the defendant killed Oreoluwa John by stabbing her to death while armed with a knife, and robbed the deceased of her car, phones, and Plasma TV.
The trial judge held that the defendant confessed to the crime.
She added: “He killed one Adejoke by strangling her, and one Oreoluwa by stabbing her to death.
“I have considered the evidence of the security guard, an Okada man, one Yahya Ibrahim, the house help and a police Inspector.
According to her, the convict admitted to living with them and he was the only witness of the incident.
She stated that the defence did not object to the admissibility of the confessional statement.
“There’s no doubt that the defendant confessed to the crimes”.
According to the judge, the defendant could not explain what he was doing with all the stolen items he was found with at about 2:00 a.m. on the date he was arrested.
“The evidence is shown to the satisfaction of this court and the court has established guilt against the defendant.
“He is hereby guilty as charged.”
After convicting him, the judge told Joseph Ogbu, “I have to hear from you, you have been found guilty.
The convict replied in Pidgin English, “The mama no die for my presence. I beg for mercy,” clasping his hand to his face.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Mr. Moses Enema told the judge, “The defendant is a first-time offender, a son to a young widow, largely dependent on this son.
“In the course of the trial, my lord, the defendant was very remorseful, it’s an indication that he is willing to turn a new leave. We do pray the court to temper justice with mercy.
Sentencing him to death for all three counts, Justice Nicole-Clay pronounced, “This court has found Joseph Ogbu guilty of these heinous crimes, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your soul”.
Eighteen-Eleven Media