Ondo Court delivers death sentence to a vulcaniser convicted of murdering a man accused of phone theft, while the judge condemns mob justice.
The Ondo Court has handed down a death sentence to a vulcaniser, Wasiu Ibrahim, after finding him guilty of participating in the murder of Joseph Odunayo, a man accused of stealing a mobile phone.
The judgment, delivered by the High Court sitting in Akure, has once again drawn attention to the dangers of mob justice and the importance of allowing the legal system to determine guilt or innocence.
Justice Ademola Enikuomehin, who presided over the case, ruled that the prosecution had successfully established beyond reasonable doubt that Ibrahim was directly involved in the fatal assault that led to Odunayo’s death.
The court found him guilty of both murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
For the murder conviction, the judge sentenced Ibrahim to death by hanging. He was also handed a separate two-year prison sentence for conspiracy, although the death sentence remains the principal punishment.
According to the prosecution, the tragic incident began after an Infinix mobile phone belonging to Lekan Falohun allegedly went missing on December 25, 2024.
Investigators told the court that suspicion quickly fell on Joseph Odunayo, who was accused of stealing the device.
Court records showed that Odunayo was later apprehended by Lekan Falohun, the convict, and several other individuals.
Instead of reporting the matter to law enforcement authorities, the group allegedly decided to take matters into their own hands, setting off a chain of events that ultimately proved fatal.
The prosecution explained that Odunayo was forced to lead his captors to the person who had allegedly purchased the missing phone.
During the journey, he reportedly attempted to escape by jumping from a moving motorcycle, suffering injuries in the process.
Despite the injuries he sustained, witnesses said he was captured again later the same day. It was after this second arrest that the violence reportedly escalated.
According to evidence presented before the Ondo Court, Ibrahim, alongside Lekan Falohun and other suspects who are still on the run, allegedly tied up the victim and subjected him to a prolonged and severe beating.
Witnesses described a disturbing scene in which family members and respected community leaders pleaded with the attackers to stop. Their appeals, however, reportedly fell on deaf ears as the assault continued.
One of the prosecution’s key witnesses, Emmanuel Sunday, who is the deceased’s brother, testified that Ibrahim remained one of the principal attackers throughout the incident.
He told the court that the convict continued beating Odunayo even after the victim had collapsed and was no longer able to defend himself.
Another eyewitness, Bose Ojo, also gave evidence before the court. She testified that she personally saw Ibrahim drag the victim out of a vehicle before repeatedly striking him with a wooden plank, worsening his already critical condition.
The prosecution further informed the court that the injured victim was eventually taken to a nearby police station.
However, officers reportedly declined to detain him because of the seriousness of his injuries and instead instructed that he be rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment.
Sadly, Odunayo later died at a police clinic while receiving medical attention.
During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses and tendered six exhibits to support its case.
Among those who testified was Mrs. Taiwo Falohun, the mother of Lekan Falohun and the owner of the allegedly stolen Infinix mobile phone at the centre of the incident.
Although no autopsy was conducted on the deceased, the Ondo Court ruled that the absence of a post-mortem examination did not weaken the prosecution’s case.
Justice Enikuomehin held that the eyewitness testimonies, together with the sequence of events leading to the victim’s death, clearly established that the brutal assault caused the fatal injuries.
Ibrahim denied taking part in the attack. During his defence, he claimed he was merely an commercial motorcycle rider who had been hired to transport Lekan Falohun and the deceased. He insisted he neither assaulted the victim nor participated in any unlawful act.
The judge rejected that explanation, stating that the defence could not withstand the overwhelming evidence presented by multiple eyewitnesses.
Justice Enikuomehin observed that the testimonies identifying Ibrahim as one of the attackers remained consistent throughout the proceedings and were not shaken during cross-examination.
In delivering his judgment, the judge strongly condemned mob action, describing it as a dangerous practice that has no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
He stressed that individuals suspected of committing crimes must be handed over to security agencies rather than subjected to jungle justice.
Justice Enikuomehin also directed law enforcement authorities to intensify efforts to apprehend Lekan Falohun and the other suspects who allegedly participated in the attack but remain at large.
The ruling serves as another reminder that taking the law into one’s own hands can result in severe legal consequences.
Legal experts have repeatedly warned that accusations alone do not amount to proof of guilt and that every suspect deserves a fair hearing before a competent court.
Pronouncing the final sentence, Justice Enikuomehin declared, “You, Wasiu Ibrahim, shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may the good Lord have mercy upon you.”
The Ondo Court judgment reinforces the judiciary’s commitment to holding perpetrators of violent crimes accountable while sending a strong message that mob justice will not be tolerated under Nigerian law.
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