On Tuesday, Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja sentenced a 30-year-old hotel employee named Ehizogie Jeffrey to death by hanging for the murder of the hotel manager and a UK returnee.
The court found him guilty of the murder charge brought against him by the State government.
According to the State government’s allegations in the case with suit number ID/10428C/2019, Ehizogie and others, who remain at large, strangled Sola Olusoga, a UK returnee, to death with a rope on January 25, 2019, at Etasol Hotel located at No. 42, Budland Street, Ojodu-Berger.
Additionally, the defendant and others at large were responsible for the murder of Tunji Omikunle, the hotel manager, through strangulation and physical assault. The defendant also allegedly took a key from the manager’s pocket, used it to enter Olusola’s apartment, and strangled him to death.
These actions are in violation of Section 223 of the Criminal Law Cap. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The defendant was brought before the court on December 7, 2020, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial began on February 25, 2021.
During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses, including David Nkwor, a former hotel staff member, as well as two police officers, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chris Akpanomo, ASP Malik Aliyu, and Harrison Bruce.
The first prosecution witness (PW1), Nkwor, testified that he worked at Etasol Hotel in Ojodu, Lagos in January 2019.
He identified the defendant as one of the hotel staff members at that time. Nkwor stated that on January 24, 2019, a co-worker prepared Indomie noodles and gave it to the defendant, who then handed it to him (PW1).
He said when he was eating same, Jeffery and Henry, also workers, were walking around, and he went to sleep after eating the Indomie because it was late at night.
He testified that Jeffery slept with him while Henry went to the manager.
“The following day, in the morning, the police from Ojodu division woke him up at about 7:00a.m. and said they couldn’t find Jeffery and his phone. He said that the police told him that some people tied up his Managing Director and killed him. They started asking him for the whereabouts of the manager and he said the manager slept upstairs with Henry.
“He continued that they checked and couldn’t find the manager. When they were about to leave, the police said they should check the reception’s toilet, which they did and saw a man lying in the toilet. He told the court that they asked him who it was and he told them that it was the manager. He was tied and killed.
“PW1 testified that the police took him to Ojodu Police station at Grammar School. He was released that day and the case was transferred to Panti. He was invited and wrote a statement. After a few days, the Managing Director’s daughter returned from abroad and they brought out the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera and played the video.”
According to him, “In the video, he saw Jeffery, Henry, White and four other persons in the video beating the manager. They killed him and put him inside the toilet. They climbed up to the Managing Director’s apartment. “
In her verdict, Justice Ogala held that there was no doubt that these facts are tested and corroborated with the exhibits before the court.
“There is no doubt that the defendant was present, the premises of the scene of crime as confirmed by him in his evidence and exhibits before the court.
“The defendant had the motive and the opportunity to commit the offences he stands charged with others at large. Most of all the confessional statements are consistent with the other facts before the court,” the court held.
The court therefore found that the circumstantial evidence against the defendant in this instance is unequivocal, positive and irresistibly points to the guilt of the defendant on the two count charges he stands faced with.
“Having found the defendant, Jeffrey Ehizogie guilty of the two counts of murder, the sentence of the court upon you, Jeffrey Ehizogie, is that you would be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on your soul,” the court held.
