THE High Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has sentenced Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of a National Youth Service Corps member, Salome Adaidu.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Simon Aboki found Ajayi guilty of culpable homicide, having killed and dismembered the victim.
Justice Aboki said that the prosecuting counsel proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt that the convict killed the victim at his residence.
The judgment posited that the defendant claims that he became unconscious after having a good time with his girlfriend, and was unconscious when he wrote his confessional statement, does not hold water.
He, therefore, found Ajayi guilty of the offence after several months of trial.
Justice Aboki noted that Ajayi was convicted under Section 221 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria, which prescribes the death penalty for persons guilty of such an offence.
“The law is clear on this, and the punishment is death. Therefore, the accused is hereby sentenced to death by hanging,” Justice Aboki ruled.
The Nigerian Police had arrested Ajayi after he was caught by churchgoers in Orozo, a border community between Abuja and Nasarawa, carrying a polybag containing the severed head of the victim.
Further investigation reportedly led to the discovery of the remaining body parts inside his apartment in New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Salome was said to have been killed during a visit to Ajayi’s residence.
In a viral post-arrest interview, Ajayi confessed to the crime, saying the act was not premeditated but carried out in a fit of jealousy.
“I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time. It’s not something I planned. It happened on that day, and it happened. Not that I had the plan in mind, she was cheating.
“She hides most of the things from me most time. I got to know from her phone. I saw her chats with other guys on the phone, that was why I decided,” he said.