A Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has convicted and sentenced a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Ominikoron, to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwola.
Delivering a judgement that spanned over two and a half hours, Justice Serifat Sonaike ruled that the Lagos State Government had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge declared: “For the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you.”
Although there were no eyewitnesses to the crime, the court relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, expert testimony from a pathologist, and the victim’s dying declaration. These elements, according to Justice Sonaike, all pointed conclusively to the defendant, who was the last person seen with Bamise before her disappearance and subsequent death on 26 February 2022.
In addition to the murder conviction, Ominikoron was also found guilty of raping a 29-year-old woman, Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu, on 25 November 2021. The court held that the defendant had a documented pattern of sexually assaulting female passengers in his BRT vehicle, citing both Ozezulu’s testimony and a chilling voice note sent by Bamise shortly before her death as compelling evidence.
“The voice note clearly indicated that Bamise did not give consent to any sexual activity,” the judge stated.
However, in relation to the allegation of rape against the late Bamise, the court ruled that the charge was not proven. It noted that medical examinations found no evidence of penetration or presence of semen, concluding that while rape was attempted, it was either not completed or unsuccessful.
Consequently, the defendant was acquitted of the rape charge concerning Bamise but was convicted of attempted rape, which the prosecution proved successfully.
The court also discharged Ominikoron on the charge of conspiracy, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish that offence.
During the sentencing phase, Director of Public Prosecution, Dr Babajide Martins, urged the court to impose the maximum penalty. Defence counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, in his plea of allocutus, appealed for leniency, requesting the court to temper justice with mercy.
