A High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has sentenced three individuals to death by hanging for the murder of Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye and their son, Oreoluwa, in a tragic incident that occurred on New Year’s Day in 2023.
Justice Basirat Adebowale, who presided over the case, convicted Adekambi Lekan, a former driver of the victims, alongside Odetola Ahmed and Adeniyi Waheed. The court ruled that the prosecution had presented compelling evidence proving their involvement in the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
The trio faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, murder, arson, and perverting the course of justice. In her judgment, Justice Adebowale highlighted the brutal nature of the crime, emphasizing that the convicts showed no regard for human life and, therefore, did not deserve mercy.
The court handed down the death sentence by hanging or lethal injection, along with additional prison terms, including life imprisonment with hard labor.
“The sentence of this court on Adekambi Lekan in respect of Count II is that he be hanged by the neck until he is dead or by lethal injection,” the judge declared.
Lekan’s wife, Fadairo Temitope, was also found guilty on select charges and sentenced to four years in prison. Meanwhile, his mother, Adekambi Adenike, was acquitted on certain counts but received a one-year prison sentence for another offense.
The case stemmed from a gruesome attack on the Fatinoye family, who had just returned home from a New Year’s Eve church service when they were ambushed. The assailants murdered the couple and their son, setting their bodies on fire. Additionally, they tied up the couple’s adopted son, Olorunyomi Felix, and Oreoluwa before throwing them into the Ogun River, resulting in Oreoluwa’s death.
Authorities believe the attackers exploited the festive atmosphere of the New Year’s celebrations to carry out their crime undetected
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