By Abimbola Ogunnaike
A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti presided over by Justice Jubril Aladejana on Thursday, 21 March, 2024 sentenced a 28-year-old Ayodeji Alomoge to death by hanging for killing his wife’s lover.
The convict was arraigned before the court in April 2023 on one count charge of murder.
Delivering judgement, Justice Aladejana said: “To me, rivalry between men over the affection of a woman should not be grounds to justify provocation.
“I consequently find the defendant guilty of the murder charge against him and therefore convicted as charged.
“The judgement of this court upon you is that you, Ayodeji Alomoge shall be hanged by the neck until you die.”
According to the charge, Alomoge, on June 21, 2022 at Ikere-Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court, murdered Ayomide Ogunleye for having an affair with his wife.
The police said the offence is contrary to the provisions of Section 234 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
In his statement to the police, the father of the deceased, Ige, said, “My wife called me on the phone around 12:30 a.m. crying profusely.
“She told me that my son was attacked and beaten by Alomoge and his gang, I rushed down to the place, I met my son in a pool of blood.
“I saw Alomoge and asked him the reason for his action, he said, Ayomide has been having an affair with his wife and he told me that he warned my son to stop or else he will kill him.
“I took him to a nearby hospital and later to the University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara where he later died.”
To prove his case, the prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called five witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, pictures of the deceased and medical report of the cause of death as exhibits.
The defendant spoke in his own defence through his lawyer, Adeyinka Opaleke, who pleaded to the court to temper justice with mercy, he called no witness.
