Man To Die By Hanging Over Murder In Osun
25-year-old Tajudeen Ganiyu was Thursday sentenced to death by hanging by an Osun State High court for killing a 4-year-old boy, Tesleem Bakare.
The convict was arraigned in October 2017 for conspiracy and murder and pleaded guilty to the murder charge preferred against him.
Narrating the circumstances that led to the trial of the convict, Justice Falola stated that the convict took the victim from her grandmother, Mrs. Raliatu Bakare under the pretence that he wanted to buy groundnut for him.
He ran away with the boy and a search for the convict by some youths was launched by the father of the victim, Isiaka Bakare.
“The convict was eventually arrested and taken to the palace of Aragbiji of Iragbiji, where he was handed over to the police. He confessed to the police to have killed the boy and led them to the bush at Iragbiji where they found the remains of the boy.
the argument that the convict was treated for mental problem could not be substantiated as he failed to produce evidence to back the claim.
“The accused did not exhibit any sign of insanity in the box as observed by the court. He answered all questions satisfactorily in the box during the proceeding.
The court submitted that the young boy was slaughtered like a ram and thereby convicted the accused as charged.
The Legal Aid Council, who represented the convict, Mrs. Esther Napoleon, prayed the court to be merciful in sentencing the convict, noting that he is a first offender.
Justice Falola however, ruled that the convict should be hanged by the neck till death and advised parents to be extra-vigilant and ensure they do not leave their children at the mercy of strangers.