Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
AN Osun State High Court in Iwo has sentenced three men to death by hanging for the murder of a widow in a chilling money ritual case.
The convicts – Muyideen Tunji (47), a commercial motorcyclist, Yusuf Muslim (48), and Rabiu Fatai (55) – were found guilty of conspiracy, murder, and unlawful possession of human parts for the killing of 53-year-old Asiata Yekeen from Ilé-Ogbó.
Justice Fatimah Sodamade, presiding, delivered the verdict after a trial that began in January 2022. The court heard how Tunji lured the widow to his residence in Ile-Ogbo under the pretence of settling a debt.
Prosecution counsel Barrister Dele Akintayo, from the Osun State Ministry of Justice, detailed how the victim was attacked upon arrival, with the other defendants present. After the killing, the trio concealed the victim’s remains on the premises.
The crime unravelled when witnesses who saw the widow enter Tunji’s home alerted authorities after her family could no longer reach her. This led to an investigation by police and the Amotekun Corps, culminating in the arrests.
Initially pleading not guilty, the defendants were convicted after the court meticulously examined the evidence and witness testimonies, leading to the ultimate sentence.
