Bricklayer to die by hanging over murder

By Bmaidele Kolawole & Salihu Abdullahi
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A 25-year-old bricklayer, David Seimiyengha, has been sentence to death by hanging by an Akure High Court for his involvement in kidnapping and murder.

According to the prosecution, the case involved David Seimiyengha, Fikesei Inuesokan and Bekewei Francis, and they were charge to court for prosecution.

The defendants were brought to court for conspiracy of committing felony, kidnapping, unlawful possession of fire arms and murder of Mr. Olumide Odimayo at his home town, at number 1, Igbotu, Ese-Odo, at about 6:00am, on June 15, 2017.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the four count charge preferred against them when it was read to them before hearing commenced.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Olusegun Akeredolu said that the defendants kidnapped the deceased, murdered him and drown him into the river.

Akeredolu called five witnesses and all of them gave their testimonies in the court that the defendants were the people who murdered him.

One of his witnesses, Dr Pelemo, a pathologist attached to State Specialist Hospital Akure, said that a fresh corpse of one  Odimayo Olumide, was brought to his department for post mortem examination saying his findings revealed that the course of death to be Asphyxia due to drowning autopsy report.

Another witness, Sergent Olaolu Olawoye of SAK Squad Akure, said that on June 15, 2017 the defendants invaded the house of the deceased shot sporadically and kidnapped him to unknown destination saying that member of the community attacked the kidnappers and shot one of them in the hideout.

According to him, on receipt of this report search party led by O/C Anti kidnapping SP Onabanjo Adekunle entered the creek area in Ajagba Ondo State where the deceased was found lifeless by and the defendants were arrested.

He told the court that one AK 47 rifle with 21 rounds of life ammunition was recovered from David Seimiyengha.

After a series of arguments by the prosecuting and defence counsel, the court agreed that David Seimiyengha committed the offence contrary to Section 3(i) (a)of the Ondo State Anti-kindnapping and Anti-abduction Law, 2010 and section 319of the criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1, Lwas of Ondo State, 2006.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Ademola Bola, said that the testimonies of prosecuting counsel on the 2nd and 3rd defendants was not enough to convict them, saying the testimonies were not haven weigh  the thereafter discharged the two defendants and acquitted

Bola said that David Seimiyengha was found guilty of the offence and sentenced him to death by handing.