Five Men Face Death Penalty for Fatal Taxi Driver Assault
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has delivered a landmark judgment, sentencing five men to death by hanging for the brutal murder of a taxi driver during a violent confrontation in 2024. Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi pronounced the capital punishment on Monday after finding all defendants guilty of conspiracy and murder charges.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing Details
The convicted individuals include Segun Taiwo (36), Kehinde Ademola (46), Yahaya Adeniyi (45), Chinonso Samson (41), and Opadotun Michael (32). In her ruling, Justice Ajayi emphasized that the evidence clearly demonstrated the men acted together to commit the crime. "I am of the considered view that the court could safely infer conspiracy in the acts that led to the death of Shittu," the judge stated during the proceedings.
The court initially handed each defendant a 20-year prison sentence for conspiracy before imposing the ultimate penalty for murder. Justice Ajayi explicitly declared, "On count two, each of the defendants is sentenced to death by hanging," bringing closure to the legal battle that began over a year ago.
The Tragic Incident That Led to Murder
According to prosecution evidence presented by State Counsel K. K. Oloso, the fatal incident occurred on 10 April 2024 at Elepe, Arulogun Road in the Ojoo area of Ibadan. The tragedy began with a minor road collision when Shittu's taxi made contact with a motorcycle carrying two passengers.
What started as a routine traffic incident quickly escalated when the parties moved to a nearby pub to discuss compensation. The prosecution established that the defendants restrained Shittu, preventing him from leaving the establishment. When the taxi driver attempted to escape his captors, the men overpowered and fatally assaulted him.
Investigators later recovered Shittu's taxi and personal belongings at a shop connected to a family member of one of the convicted men, providing crucial evidence that helped secure the convictions.
Legal Framework and Related Cases
The court determined that the offenses violated Sections 316, 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000, which clearly outline penalties for murder and conspiracy. This ruling demonstrates the Nigerian judiciary's firm stance against violent crimes.
In a related development highlighting similar judicial responses to violent crimes, courts in other states have delivered comparable sentences. During 2024, an Osun State High Court sentenced Wasiu Afolayan (36) and Kola Adeyemi (34) to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery under Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act.
The Oyo State judgment serves as a significant precedent in the fight against violent crime in southwestern Nigeria, reinforcing the legal consequences for those who take the law into their own hands.
