An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has sentenced a man identified as Kolade Tosin to de@th by hanging for the m¥rder of 17-year-old Ifeoluwa Apanpa.
Justice Mojisola I. Sule delivered the judgment on Monday at Court 9 of the Oyo State High Court. The convict was also sentenced to life imprisonment for r@ping the deceased before k+lling her in the Olodo area of Ibadan on September 17, 2022.
The convict was 20 years old at the time he committed the offence.
During the trial, the prosecution team led by the Oyo State Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, presented four witnesses, including the victim’s father, retired ACP Arimiyau Apanpa; her pastor, Olusegun Ajulo; Corporal Ayoade Quadri; and ASP Segun Oladunjoye of the State CID, Iyaganku.
While delivering judgment, Justice Sule dismissed the defendant’s denial of making statements to the police, stating that investigations showed the statement was obtained lawfully in the presence of his parents.
According to the judge:
“It is settled principle of the law that a litigant will not be allowed to blow hot and cold at the same time.”
“I hold in agreement with the prosecution that the defendant’s denial of making a statement to the police later in his defence is an afterthought and cannot avail him.”
The court also rejected the defendant’s claims that his parents never made statements to the police, noting that he failed to call them as witnesses to support his defense.
She said the prosecution successfully established that the defendant forcefully had s+xual intercourse with the victim without her consent before k+lling her.
The judge said: “The defendant gave a graphic detail of his cr+mes. He told the police that he forcefully had s+xual intercourse with the deceased, thus signifying that she did not give her consent.”
After reviewing both oral and documentary evidence, the court found the defendant guilty as charged.
Justice Sule pronounced:
“I therefore hereby sentence you, Kolade Tosin, to d+ath, by hanging on the neck until pronounced d+ad. May God have mercy on your soul.”
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