An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Monday sentenced a 43-year-old man named Akinyemi Ojo to life imprisonment for attempting to murder a female farmer.
NewsNGR recalls that Ojo was arraigned on January 25, 2023, on one count of attempted murder and he pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against him.
The prosecutor, Taiwo Ajibulu-Ariyo, stated that Ojo on December 5, 2022, in Aramoko -Ekiti, attempted to murder one David Faith by hacking her with matchet — an offence contrary to Section 241 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
During the trial, Faith who is a farmer explained, “I was going to my farm on that day, met the Ojo on the way and we exchanged pleasantry, I later branched to my farm to pluck some okro, after sometime, I saw the defendant coming towards where I was, holding a cutlass, I suspected his movement to be of evil agenda, I then took to my heels, he was chasing me with cutlass and met me where I fell.
“He gave me matchet cuts all over my body and I became unconscious, I did not see him again when I regained little consciousness, I crawled to the main road where some passersby took me to the General Hospital, Aramoko -Ekiti, I did not know my offence and why he wanted to kill me.”
The prosecutor, Ajibulu-Ariyo, called five witnesses and tendered defendant and victims’ statements, cutlass and pictures of the victim as exhibits.
The defendant defended himself through his lawyer and called no witness.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Blessing Ajileye said, “In this instant case, I found that the defendant matcheted the victim and degree of injury inflicted on her was capable of causing her death but for the intervening efforts of the passersby who saw her in the pool of blood.
“The defendant is hereby convicted as charged in line with Section 241 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, he is accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment.”