Court Hands Down Death Sentence To Man Convicted Of Killing Neighbour Days Before Wedding In Kwara

Justice S. M. Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced Mohammed Kazeem Beiwa to death for the brutal murder of his neighbour, Olokose Ojo Olushola, few  days before the victim’s scheduled wedding in 2021.

The court also pronounced verdicts on Beiwa’s accomplices, Madu Jeremiah and Mohammed Chatta, who were each handed a 10-year prison sentence along with a fine of N100,000.

However, the fourth defendant, Jimoh Abdulateef, was acquitted and released due to insufficient evidence and lack of diligent prosecution.

The four defendants had faced an array of charges, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and illegal removal of human parts.

Prosecution led by former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Kwara State,  Ibrahim Sulyman, alleged that the accused individuals carried out a harrowing attack and abduction of Olokose Ojo Olushola from his residence in Ilorin shortly before his impending wedding.

The victim was tragically murdered in March 2021.

In a shocking twist, after abducting and murdering Olushola, the defendants had the audacity to negotiate a ransom with his family, despite being fully aware of his demise.

This callous act aimed to extort funds from grieving family members, all while deceiving them into believing their loved one was alive and in the clutches of kidnappers.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented a compelling case, calling upon nine witnesses and submitting numerous pieces of evidence to substantiate their claims.

Delivering the long-awaited judgment on Monday, Justice Akanbi found three of the accused individuals guilty on four of the criminal charges brought against them.

He unequivocally stated, “The defendants were responsible for the death of Olokose Ojo Olushola, occurring in March 2021, a few days before the victim’s planned wedding ceremony.”

Justice Akanbi also condemned the gruesome mutilation of Olushola’s body and condemned the defendants for exploiting their knowledge of his death to extort ransom from his grieving family, perpetuating the illusion that he was still alive and in the clutches of kidnappers.

Mohammed Kazeem Beiwa, who masterminded this heinous tragedy and lived in close proximity to the deceased, has been sentenced to death by hanging.

In addition to the death sentence, Beiwa also received life imprisonment and a separate 10-year prison term along with a N100,000 fine for various counts related to the case.