A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja condemned a domestic worker, Joseph Ogbu, to death by hanging on Monday for the murder of his employer, an 89-year-old grandmother, Adejoke John, and her daughter, Oreoluwa, at their house in the Surulere region of the state.
The decision was delivered by Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay, who found the defendant guilty of three counts of armed robbery and murder.
Following his detention, Ogbu was arraigned on October 22, 2019 by the Lagos State Government.
He was accused with three counts of armed robbery and murder, which the state had preferred against him.
According to the prosecution, the offence committed violated Sections 222 and 297 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015.
Ogbu entered a not guilty plea to the charge levelled against him.
On June 19, 2019, Ogbu strangled Adejoke and stabbed her pregnant daughter to death while conducting the crime.
The criminal also stole her Toyota Camry Saloon car, FST 104 CW, LG plasma TV, motorway handset, one Gionee handset, one Nokia phone, one i-Tel phone, and one power bank.
The prosecutor said the incident took place around 9.30pm at No 4, Ogunlana Drive, in the Surulere area of the state.
In her judgment, the trial judge, Nicole-Clay, held that Ogbu confessed to the crime.
She said, “He killed one Adejoke by strangling her, and one Oreoluwa by stabbing her to death.
“I have considered the evidence of the security guard, an Okada man, one Yahya Ibrahim, the house help, and a policeman.”
Nicole-Clay held that the convict admitted to living with the deceased mother and daughter, and he was the only witness of the incident.
She stated that the defendant did not raise an objection to the admissibility of the confessional statement.
“There’s no doubt that the defendant confessed to the crimes,” Nicole-Clay said.
According to the judge, the defendant could not give an explanation of what he was doing with all the stolen items he was found with around 2am on the day he was arrested.
“The evidence is shown to the satisfaction of this court and the court has established guilt against the defendant. He is hereby guilty as charged,” Nicole-Clay said.
After convicting him, the judge told Ogbu, “I have to hear from you, you have been found guilty.”
In his response, the convict, who spoke in Pidgin English, said, “The mama no die for my presence. I beg for mercy.”
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Moses Enema, told the judge, “The defendant is a first-time offender, a son to a young widow, largely dependent on this son.
“In the course of the trial, my lord, the defendant was very remorseful; it’s an indication that he is willing to turn a new leave. We do pray the court to temper justice with mercy.”
Nicole-Clay pronounced, “This court has found Joseph Ogbu guilty of these heinous crimes, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”
