The family of late Dr Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu will finally get closure two years after their mother was murdered as a Minna High Court has sentenced 16-year-old Joy Afekafe to life imprisonment for being instrumental to her death.

Afekafe with two other of her friends, who are still at large, killed Adefolalu who was a lecturer with the Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences of the Federal University of Technology, Minna on October 28, 2023 in her residence in Gbaiko area of Bosso local government in Niger state.

The teenager was found guilty of culpable homicide punishable under section 221 of the penal code.

Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court 4 who presided over the case pronounced the judgement on the teenager saying that the Prosecutor had proved the case of armed robbery and culpable homicide against her.

The two count charges, according to the Principal State Counsel in the office of the Attorney General of Niger State, include armed robbery and culpable homicide which is said to be punishable under section 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.

Afekafe, who was 14 years in 2023, had connived with two of her classmates identified as Walex and Smart to deal with Adefolalu for relieving her of her duties as a housemaid and sending her packing.

It was discovered that she was sent packing by the deceased because she was stealing her properties and money in foreign currency.

According to Afekafe, who was then an SS 2 Student of Day Secondary School, Gidan Kuka, she had gone to the deceased residence to beat her up adding that while beating her, it was discovered that the lecturer would report them if she was left alone which was why they decided to kill her.

She said that Smart and Walex had first hit the deceased with a stool before stabbing the deceased with knives repeatedly and left her for death.

“It was Walex who said that she would recognise us if we left her alive, so they started stabbing her with the knife we brought. I then struggled with the knife with them which made Smart enter her kitchen and take a knife there and they continued stabbing her.

” They stabbed her in her stomach, her hands, her legs and she was just shouting Jesus, Jesus. After all that, they took her phone and laptop and her car battery before we left the house in the motorcycle we came in,” she had said.

Delivering his judgement which lasted for over two hours, Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed, said the Prosecutor was able to establish the two count charges of armed robbery and culpable homicide against the convict and she found guilty.

Reviewing the evidences and the statements of the convict, Mohammed held that the sole issue formulated is hereby resolved against the convict and in favour of the Prosecution.

”On the whole and for all the reasons stated in this judgement, I hold that the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt, that: Dr. Mrs Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu is dead.

”That the death of Dr. Mrs Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu was caused by the convict with her friends, now at large, when they used knives to stab her severally and eventually hit her with wooden stool on her with the intention to kill her.

”From the evidence before me, I am satisfied that the Prosecution has proved the offences of culpable homicide punishable with death and armed robbery against the convict.

”From the statement of the convict before the state Criminal investigation Department (SCIID) Minna, which was made on 3rd November,2023, and her evidence before this court, the convict was 14 years old as the time the offences were committed. Although, she is now 16 years old.

“By the provisions of section 221 of the penal code, laws of Niger State 1989, whosoever is found guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death shall be sentenced to death by method to prescribed by the trial judge,” Justice Mohammed stated.

He further held that ”where the convict is less than 18 years as at the time of the commission of the offence, sentence of death shall not be pronounced or recorded but the court shall sentence the person to life custodial or to such other terms”

He sentenced her to life in custodial centre for the offence of culpable homicide and 10 years in custodial centre for the offence of armed robbery. (The Nation)