An Ilorin High Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced the killers of Blessing Olajide, a 300-level student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) to death by hanging.
Ms Olajide, who would had turned 26 this year, was raped and killed in June 2021.
Justice Ibrahim Yusuf convicted the first, second and third suspects — Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Oluwatimileyin and Oyeyemi Omogbolahan — for the offences of culpable homicide and armed robbery, sentencing them to death by hanging.
The court also sentenced the fourth and fifth suspects to three years imprisonment for the offence of theft.
Justice Yusuf discharged and acquitted the sixth, seventh and eighth suspects — Abdullateef Abdulrahman, Daud Aderayo and Akande Oladoja — on the basis that they were not found guilty of any charges against them.
The judge said the prosecution proved that the deceased struggled with her killers until she fell after being pushed. The first and third convicts held her down for the second convict to perpetrate the crime of rape.
The judge said the deceased was raped till death on June 2, 2021, at her guardian’s residence in Tanke area of Ilorin, and a piece of paper was dropped on her chest with the message: “No forgiveness for Unilorin student.”
According to the judgment, Ismail, Oluwatimileyin and Omogbolahan conspired among themselves to rob the deceased of her Samsung Galaxy A2 Core handset, one black Acer Aspire laptop and one Samsung drive, among other items.
The killers were tried on an 11-count charge bordering on murder, rape, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms, among others.
