Lagos prince, accomplice to hang for killing bizwoman

Lagos prince Adewale, son of late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan and his accomplice were on Monday sentenced to death by an Ikeja High Court for the murder of Alhaja Sikirat Ekun, a 62-year-old businesswoman-cum-politician. Adewale was sentenced along with a domestic worker, Lateef Balogun, by Justice Raliatu Adebiyi for strangling Ekun and throwing her corpse in […]

Lagos prince Adewale, son of late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan and his accomplice were on Monday sentenced to death by an Ikeja High Court for the murder of Alhaja Sikirat Ekun, a 62-year-old businesswoman-cum-politician.

Adewale was sentenced along with a domestic worker, Lateef Balogun, by Justice Raliatu Adebiyi for strangling Ekun and throwing her corpse in a well. Justice Adebiyi held that the circumstantial evidence was strong and cogent and that the act of the defendants in killing the deceased was intentional and premeditated.

“For this reason, the first and second defendants are hereby sentenced accordingly on each of counts one and two to death by hanging. May God the giver of life have mercy on your soul,” the judge held.

The state prosecution led by Mr. Akin George, had told the court that the convicts committed the offences at 1:00am on October 17, 2012 at the home of the deceased located at No. 5, Babatunde Lalega Street, Omole Phase One, Lagos.

The prosecution stated that the deceased was a restauranteur who knew Oyekan due to her friendship with his late mother, and due to the affinity between the women, Ekun employed the prince as the manager of her restaurant.

“Balogun, the second defendant, was a former domestic staff of Ekun who was employed by her to take care of her elderly father. His employment was however terminated following a dispute with Ekun.

“The convicts conspired, killed the deceased and threw her corpse in a well within the premises of her home and took over her businesses and properties including her bus which was sold for N170,000.

“When any enquiry was made by family and friends about her whereabouts, Oyekan informed them that she had travelled to Abuja for the Ileya (Id-el Kabir) festival.

“He passed this information by sending a text message from Ekun’s mobile phone.

“Following panic and worry from members of Ekun’s family and after an extensive search, her corpse was found two months later in December 2012 by well diggers and fire fighters.

“The convicts had placed a generator, a gas cylinder and other household items on the corpse to conceal it in the 1,000 feet well,” he said.