Timileyin Ajayi: Gospel singer’s journey to hangman’s noose

A High Court sitting in Lafia, the headquarters of Lafia LGA of Nasarawa State on Thursday sentenced a gospel singer, Oluwatimileyin Ajayi, to death by hanging for the gruesome killing of his girlfriend, Salome Adaidu. The 24-year-old who was a serving corps member, was reportedly murdered by the 31-year-old convict, when she visited him at […]

A High Court sitting in Lafia, the headquarters of Lafia LGA of Nasarawa State on Thursday sentenced a gospel singer, Oluwatimileyin Ajayi, to death by hanging for the gruesome killing of his girlfriend, Salome Adaidu.

The 24-year-old who was a serving corps member, was reportedly murdered by the 31-year-old convict, when she visited him at his residence in Papaladna village of Karshi Development Area, in Karu LGA of the state.

Delivering his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Simon Aboki, said the prosecuting counsels proved their case beyond every reasonable doubt that the convict killed the victim at his residence.

The judge ruled that the defendant’s claims that he became unconscious after having a good time with his girlfriend, and was unconscious when he wrote his confessional statement, do not hold water.

He, therefore, found Oluwatimileyin Ajayi guilty of the offence, after several months of trial.

Justice Aboki said Ajayi was convicted under Section 221 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria, which prescribes the death penalty for persons guilty of such an offence.

“The law is clear on this, and the punishment is death. Therefore, the accused is hereby sentenced to death by hanging,” he ruled.

 

Court trial

The convict was arrested on Sunday, January 12, 2025, for allegedly killing and dismembering the body of Solome Adaidu.

On January 18, 2025, the Nasarawa State Police Command arraigned Ajayi in court on a charge of culpable homicide.

Speaking after his court appearance, the suspect denied dismembering the victim’s body for ritual purposes. He claimed that his intention was merely to dispose of the corpse without leaving traces.

Expressing regret for his actions, he said, “I am not satisfied with the situation I have found myself in. Salome came to my house. When she came, she was chatting with a guy. I saw the chat on her phone. I told her to give me the phone, but she refused, and that was how the whole thing started.”

Despite the confession, Ajayi pleaded not guilty to the killing when he was arraigned before Justice Simeon Aboki at the High Court 2 in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

The prosecuting counsels presented three out of five witnesses and tendered five statements, which were admitted by the court.

The witnesses testified to the court about the level of involvement of the accused, Ajayi, in the killing of the victim. They were cross-examined by the defence counsel.

After hearing all submissions, Justice Aboki adjourned the case, scheduling the continuation of the trial for March 17 to March 20, 2025.

Subsequently, the court fixed June 26, 2025, to deliver its judgment, after both prosecution and defence counsel adopted their final written addresses.

In an interview after the last adjourned date on May 20, 2025, prosecuting counsel Raymond Umaru urged the court to uphold the law and convict the defendant.

He cited the evidence presented, particularly Exhibit L, which contained the defendant’s confessional statement that was admitted in court without objection.

“Our submission is that Exhibit L stands as credible evidence before the court and aligns with the testimonies of other witnesses,” Umaru said. He urged the court to impose the maximum mandatory sentence prescribed by law.

On his part, defence counsel Joseph Tuku-Bisong maintained, “Our prayer to the court is for the judge, based on the evidence before him, to discharge and acquit the defendant.”