Ekiti man to die by hanging for murder of wife's lover

A 28-year-old man, Ayodeji Alomoge has been sentenced to death by hanging for killing his wife's lover.

He was sentenced to hang by an Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti Division on Thursday.

Alomoge, who was tried on a count bordering on murder, according to the charge, had “on 21st of June, 2022, at Ikere Ekiti, murdered one Ogunleye Ayomide, contrary to Section 234 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.”

The father of the deceased, Ige Ogunleye, in his statement to the police, said he received a call that his son (the deceased) “had been beaten to a pulp by Alomoge and his gang. I rushed down to the place and found my son in a pool of his own blood with varying degrees of injuries on his head and mouth.

“I also found Alomoge being held by some people. I asked him the reason for his action, and he said Ayomide had been having affairs with his wife, and he had warned him to desist, or else he would kill him.

“I (Alomoge) took him (Ayomide) to a nearby hospital and later to the University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State, where he later died,” Ogunleye added.

The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called five witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, pictures of the deceased, and the medical report of the cause of death as exhibits.

The defendant spoke in his defence through his lawyer, Adeyinka Opaleke, who pleaded to the court to temper justice with mercy. He called no witnesses.

In the court judgment on Thursday, Justice Jubril Aladejana said, “It would appear to me that rivalry between men over the affection of a woman should not be a ground to justify provocation, except the situation is such that it is sudden and leading to a heating of passion.

“I consequently find the defendant guilty of the murder charge against him and therefore convicted as charged.”

The judge further pronounced that: “Ayodeji Alomoge shall be hanged by his neck until he be dead.”