Two years later, an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta on Monday sentenced three persons to death by hanging for killing a couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye, and their son, Oreoluwa, on New Year Day in 2023.
Justice Basirat Adebowale sentenced the trio of Adekanbi Lekan, who was driver of the deceased; Odetola Ahmed, and Adeniyi Waheed, after delivering a judgement which lasted for more than three hours.
Kehinde, a former employee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Bukola, alongside their only surviving son, Oreoluwa, attended the 2022/2023 crossover service at the Christ Anglican Church, Iporo-Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The couple were robbed and killed in their house located at Oba Karunwi Road in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, at about 1:30a.m. while their house was set ablaze.
The suspected assailants, Lekan Adekanbi, Ahmed Odetola, and Waheed Adeniji, tied their son, Oreoluwa, and their adopted son, Felix, with ropes and threw them into Ogun River on Adigbe-Obada road, where Oreoluwa died.
After the arrest, the trio were arraigned alongside Fadairo Temitope (wife of the first defendant); Adekambi Adenike, the mother; Owolaja Aanuoluwapo; Usman Azeez, Abass Odetola and Adewusi Lukman.
They were arraigned on a 24-count charge, relating to conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to murder, murder, arson, escape from lawful custody, perverting the course of justice, and receiving stolen property, among others.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Adebowale held that the prosecution proved its cases against three major defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge found them guilty of gruesomely murdering the couple and their son before setting the corpses on fire.
Adebowale also held that the convicts did not deserve the court’s mercy, as their lawyers had asked, because of the way they killed the couple and their son.
The judge convicted and sentenced the first, second and third defendants on counts one to nine, to death by hanging or lethal injection, life imprisonment with hard labour, 14 years imprisonment among others.
“The sentence of this court on Adekambi Lekan in respect of count II is that you be hanged by neck until you’re dead or by lethal injection. “May God have mercy on your soul,” the court held.
Lekan’s wife was also convicted and sentenced to four years for count 12 and 14, which will run concurrently.
The court discharged the mother on counts 12, 13 and 14, but found her guilty of count 15, sentencing her to one year imprisonment from the day of remand.