Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Father in Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 47-year-old man, Blessing Olumakinde, to death for killing his father, Benson Egunlae, over inheritance.

The state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, who handed down the sentence, held that evidence before the court showed that the accused was guilty of murder as charged.

He held that the prosecution has proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, saying the accused should be hanged by the neck until life goes out of him.

The slain father of the accused had six wives and 18 children who were in dispute over sharing of his parcels of land.

Dissatisfied with the share allotted to him, Blessing traced his father and attacked him with cutlass and axe, killing him in the process and ran away.

His siblings were shocked to meet their father in a pool of his own blood.

Egunlae was taken to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.

After committing the murder, the accused ran away for six months before turning himself over to the police after which he was arraigned on one count charge of murder.

The case which started in 2009 suffered delays and several adjournments before it was taken over by the chief judge.

The state was represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, while the accused person was represented by Morakinyo Ogele.

The prosecution called two witnesses including the pathologist from the State Specialist Hospital who conducted the post mortem on the body of the deceased.

Exhibits including the axe and cutlass used by the accused to kill his father and pictures were tendered and admitted.

The accused in his confessional statement to the police said he killed his father in a hut on the farm.

The accused never called any witness but only gave evidence in support of himself.