A State High Court sitting in Iwo, Osun State, has sentenced an Islamic cleric, Kabiru Ibrahim, to death by hanging for the murder of his client, Lukman Adeleke.
Ibrahim was charged with conspiracy, murder, and theft in violation of Sections 324, 319(1), and 390 of the Criminal Code, Chapter 34, Laws of Osun State.
In delivering judgement, Justice Lateef Adegoke determined that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and sentenced Ibrahim to death by hanging for murder.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Justice’s Information Officer, Opeyemi Bello, acquired in Osogbo on Wednesday, the prosecution team, led by Abiodun Badiora, informed the court that Ibrahim was the deceased’s spiritual consultant.
Badiora claimed that the deceased approached the cleric and expressed his desire to buy a plot of land, and Ibrahim urged him to bring the money for an evening prayer before paying the vendor.
However, Adeleke disappeared following the prayers. During the hunt, his family was notified by an informant that he was last seen the day he visited Ibrahim’s apartment.
“When the family confronted the cleric, he initially denied seeing the deceased for over two weeks. However, a community member refuted his claim, stating he had taken Adeleke to the cleric’s house the day before his disappearance.
“The matter was reported to the police, and during interrogation, Ibrahim confessed to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that he had murdered the deceased. He led authorities to the Ilesa/Akure motorway, where Adeleke’s remains were found inside a sack. One of his palms had been severed. Photographic evidence was tendered in court.
“The prosecution called six witnesses and presented several exhibits, including Ibrahim’s extrajudicial confession. It was also revealed that Ibrahim had stolen ₦300,000 from the deceased on August 24, 2016,” the statement read.
The statement additionally added that the defendant’s attorney (name withheld) did not react to the prosecution’s final written address.
In his decision, Justice Adegoke found Ibrahim guilty of both murder and theft, and sentenced him to seven years in prison for theft and execution by hanging for murder.
