The High Court sitting in Ilaro, Ogun State, has sentenced a police corporal Moruf Awoleke, with service number 389719, to death by hanging for unlawfully killing a commercial motorcyclist, late Akanji Ahmed in June 2016 in Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The presiding judge, who found Awoleke guilty of killing the deceased, said the prosecution was able to prove with cogent circumstantial evidence that the convict intentionally killed the deceased.
The court in its ruling held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He said, “In the circumstances, the court finds the defendant guilty of the charge of causing the death of late Akanji Ahmed in June 2016. He is accordingly convicted.
The death of Ahmed who was killed by a trigger-happy officer of Ilaro division of a police, saw aggrieved youths in wild protest in the town.
The protesters, comprising commercial motorcyclists and members of the butcher association in Ilaro, barricaded all roads around the town then.
The 32-year-old Akanji, after closing from work, had gone to buy food on a friend’s motorcycle but was intercepted by three policemen who themselves were on another motorbike, accusing him of contravening the CP’s order restricting Okada movement to 9pm.
It was further gathered that all efforts by Akanji at pleading with the police officers failed, as the deceased allegedly allowed the officers to take possession of the Okada and in an argument that ensued, was shot by one of the policemen.
