On Wednesday, an Ikeja High Court sentenced Saheed Arogundade,
Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW),
Boundary/Aiyetoro Unit, Lagos State to death for the murder of a
32-year-old policeman, Gbenga Oladipupo.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade discharged and acquitted Arogundade’s five
co-defendants Mustapha Layeni, Adebayo Abdullahi, Seyi Pabiekun, Sikiru
Rufai and Yusuf Arogundade of a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit
murder.
In a three-hour judgment which started at 2.35p.m., the judge held
that the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that
Arogundade murdered the policeman. Before delivering the judgment, for
security reasons and to avoid disruption of proceedings, the judge
ordered that the courtroom should be locked and the keys kept in her
possession.
“The prosecution has been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt, the
ingredients of conspiracy to commit murder and murder against the first
defendant (convict).“I therefore pronounce the first defendant guilty as charged on the counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
“I hereby pronounce the sentence of the court upon you Saheed
Arogundade – that you be hanged from the neck until you are dead. May
God have mercy upon your soul,” Akinlade said.
On hearing the sentence, Arogundade collapsed in the dock while his
relatives wailed in the courtroom gallery. According to the prosecution
led by Mrs C. Rotimi-Odutola, the convict committed the offences on
April 10, 2010, at Gbara Junction, Aiyetoro, Ajegunle, Lagos.
“The deceased was on a commercial motorcycle to visit his mother, Mrs
Mojisola Martins, in her home on Olayinka Street, Ajegunle, when they
were ambushed and attacked by four men at Gbara Junction.“Oladipupo was held down by three men and the convict stabbed him multiple times before fleeing with his accomplices.
“The deceased who was gravely injured, was taken to a hospital at
Opaleye Junction in Ajegunle where he passed away,” the prosecutor said.
According to her, Oladipupo was murdered because he purportedly
encouraged the use of commercial tricycles in Aiyetoro, causing loss of
income for the NURTW unit. The offences contravene Sections 234 and 316
of the Penal Code Law, 2003.