A UNIABUJA student, Abiodun Allen, has been sentenced to death by a Lagos State High Court for stabbing his younger brother, Wale, to death over their father’s property.
Abiodun was convicted of one count of murder contrary to Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
It was gathered that 33-year-old Abiodun had killed Wale with a broken bottle at their family house on Oritse Street, Imude, in the Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area of Lagos State during an argument over the property.
Our correspondent learnt that Wale, a serving naval officer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had visited the family home to settle a dispute over their late father’s property which was allegedly taken over by Abiodun.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Abiodun, who stabbed Wale several times in the neck, dragged his body to a bush and covered it with leaves.
During the trial, the prosecutor, O. R. Ahmed-Muil, called four witnesses, including the suspect’s landlord, Mr Sunday Abogunrin.
Abogunrin told the court that the convict was a troublesome fellow who fought his siblings at every slight provocation.
He added that he caught the convict dragging the deceased’s body into the bush after killing him.
The landlord said, “I have known the defendant since he was a child; I know his entire family.
“On February 20, 2013, around 2am, I heard dogs barking and people around were afraid to come out to see what was making the dogs bark for fear of robbers. Later, people came out and I came out as well.
“I later went to investigate the cause of the noise. I noticed someone dragging something into a nearby bush. I initially wanted to raise the alarm, but instead, I turned on my torch and the person ran towards the defendant’s house.
“I immediately followed to see who it was, only to see the defendant washing his hands, which were covered in blood, near a well. I quickly alerted the baale of the community, who then ordered youths to apprehend him.”
He noted that the convict broke his sister’s hand and smacked his elder brother’s head while attempting to escape, adding that he was later apprehended by some Oodua People’s Congress members who took him to the baale’s palace.
The Investigating Police Officer, ASP Uthman Lamidi, told the court that he saw the deceased’s body at the scene, adding that upon interrogation, the defendant admitted to killing his younger brother with a broken bottle and that he was about to bury the corpse when he was intercepted.
He said, “I handcuffed the defendant and took him away. The defendant followed me willingly and confessed to killing his younger brother. His confession was read to him and he signed it, while I countersigned. In the course of investigation, we also discovered that the defendant had threatened to kill his late brother several times before actually carrying out the act.”
Delivering her judgement on Monday, Justice Raliat Adebiyi held that the prosecution had proved a case of murder beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant and consequently sentenced him to death.
She said, “The defendant is hereby found guilty and convicted of the murder of his brother, Allen Wale.
“You, Allen Abiodun, is hereby sentenced to death. May God, the giver of life, have mercy on you.”