Kwara State High Court’s Justice Suleiman Akanbi has sentenced Kazeem Mohammed to death by hanging. Kazeem Mohammed conspired with accomplices to murder his neighbour, Olokose Ojo Olushola, and dismember his body for a ritual.
The victim, who was in his 30s, was going to get wedded in six days when his neighbour planned his murder.
Kazeem, alongside three others, Madu Jeremiah, Jimoh Abdullateef and Mohammed Chatta, were charged with eight crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, and illegal possession of firearms.
The police informed the court that they killed their victim, who worked at the National Health Insurance Scheme unit of the University of the Ilorin Teaching Hospital in May, 2021.
The victim’s body was later discovered in a sack with some parts missing.
The attackers took the victim’s ATM card and withdrew N1.2m from his bank account. They also demanded N12m ransom from the family before they were caught.
Kazeem was sentenced to death by hanging for his role in the murder. He was also given a 20-year prison sentence, a N200,000 fine and life imprisonment.
The second and the third defendants, were both sentenced to ten years in prison and N100,000 fines for two counts.
The judge acquitted Jimoh Abdullateef of all charges because the prosecution failed to prove them beyond a reasonable doubt.
