For the late Sunday Olorunleke, it was a cruel fate. Like the Biblical Esau, his sibling, Ebenezer Olorunleke, whom he had loved with passion, murdered him after conspiring with some unnamed persons to rob him of his Bajaj motorcycle with registration number ADK 100 UJ, on August 29, 2019.
The gangsters also dispossessed him of a sum of N40, 000 during the act which occurred at Abe Cocoa Area, Housing Estate in Oke-Ila, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
While his cohorts are still at large, Ebenezer was unlucky as he was caught and arraigned to face a date with the law. At the time of committing the crime, he was said to be armed with a knife with which he murdered his brother, Sunday, in cold blood after robbing him.
Thereafter, he sold all his brother’s properties and was about to escape with his motorcycle before he was arrested. Ebenezer later confessed to have murdered his sibling.
Now, the law has taken its course and the curtain has closed on his earthly sojourn. Ebenezer, aged 24, is to die slowly, in agony, following a guilty verdict pronounced on him on Monday, December 6, by an Ado Ekiti High Court which sentenced him to death by hanging.
Justice Bamidele Omotoso said while delivering judgment at the end of his trial that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and Ebenezer was guilty as charged.
“The sentence of the Court upon you is that you will be hanged by the neck until dead. May the Lord have mercy on your soul,’’ the judge ruled.
Ebenezer, who hails from Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State, was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder.
The offences, according to the prosecution, contravened Sections 6 (b), 1 (2) (a) of the robbery and firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.
A prosecution witness, who testified before the court, said when he went to the Ebenezer’s house to inform him of his brother’s death after the crime, he had claimed his brother was attacked by armed robbers, but he suspected foul play due to the lack of coordination in his explanation. Thus, matter was promptly reported at Ologede Police Station.
During the trial, the prosecutor, Gbemiga Adaramola, called five witnesses to prove his case and tendered the Ebenezer’s confessional statements, photographs of the deceased and a medical report among others, as exhibits.
