Two vigilantes jailed 21 years for killing poly students

Two vigilantes have been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by a High Court in Ilesa, Osun State for killing two students of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, told the court that Olabisi Olajuwon and Kayode Opeolu committed the crime on September 24, 2006 […]

Two vigilantes have been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by a High Court in Ilesa, Osun State for killing two students of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, told the court that Olabisi Olajuwon and Kayode Opeolu committed the crime on September 24, 2006 at Eripa village near Otan-Ayegbaju community.

The convicts were charged on three counts charge of conspiracy, attempted murder and murder in contravention of sections 324, 320 and 319 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

The attorney general explained that the convict, under the pretext of vigilante duty, stopped a motorcyclist conveying three students – Omotayo Ogunlaja and the deceased, Bashiru Saheed and Oluwole Segun.

Ajibola said the convicts accused the students of being cultists; took them into a bush, tied their hands behind them, shot them and dumped their bodies in a ditch.

One of the students, Ogunlaja, was, however, able to crawl out of from the ditch and assisted to the hospital by some passersby and the matter was reported to the police.

The convicts were arrested and made confessional statements but when they were arraigned, they pleaded not guilty and they were remanded in prison custody.

One of the three vigilante men, Wemimo Adewale, died in prison custody while the trial was going on and his name was struck out from the charge.

In his judgement, Justice Isiaka Adeleke said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced each of the convicts to 21 years imprisonment without option of fine beginning from December 20, 2017.