An Abeokuta High Court, Ogun State, on Wednesday sentenced 22-year-old Jamiu Malomo to death by hanging for stabbing a sex worker to death.

Malomo, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was convicted on a one-count charge of murder.

Delivering his judgment, Justice O. Ogunfowora held that the prosecutor proved his case beyond reasonable doubt that Malomo was guilty of the offence as charged.

The judge held that the evidence presented by the prosecutor were not controverted, hence, the conviction and sentencing to death of Malomo by hanging.

He said, “You are hereby guilty of killing Asisat Akande as preferred against you. You will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on you.’’

During the trial, the state prosecuting counsel, Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, A.M. Adebayo, said the convict committed the offence on July 18, 2021 at about 9:30pm at Ori-Apata area community, Oke-Aregba, Abeokuta.

Adebayo said the convict picked Akande, who worked as a commercial sex worker at 3AD Bar at Panseke area to his house for sexual pleasure at an agreed fee of N10,000.

He said, “After satisfying his sexual urge, he gave the deceased sex worker N8,000 instead of the agreed sum of N10,000. The situation led to an argument between him and the deceased, with the convict stabbing her on the neck with a knife, which led to her death.’’

He told the court that police detectives, however, arrested the convict at the 3AD bar in Panseke while trying to pick another girl for sexual pleasure.

Adebayo said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 316, and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, laws of Ogun 2006, which stipulates death sentence for offenders.

(NAN)