An Ondo State High Court in Akure on Friday sentenced three men, Muhammed Shehu Usman, Mazaje Lawal and Adamu Adamu, to death for killing Mrs. Funke Olakurin, daughter of the Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
The fourth accused person, Awalu Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted of conspiracy, aiding and abetting charges preferred against him.
The presiding judge, Justice Williams Rotimi Olamide, ruled that Usman, Lawal, and Adamu will die by hanging or firing squad, saying the prosecution had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the trio were guilty of conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and armed robbery charges.
Pa Fasoranti and her late daughter, Mrs. Olakunrin
Commiserating with the family of the victim, the judge tasked government at all levels to tackle insecurity and other crimes in the country, particularly rape, kidnapping and murder which he said had become rampant.
It would be recalled that on July 12, 2019, Mrs. Olakunrin was killed on Ore-Ijebu Ode Road in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State axis while travelling from Akure to Lagos.
Her driver, Femi Ajayi, was abducted by the killers held captive for seven days.
During the court trial, the prosecution testfied that the convicts after shooting Mrs. Olakunrin to death also attacked and killed a hunter, Matthew Ogunbiyi, in the forest.
The prosecution further told the court that the convicts also abducted a German-Nigerian but was released after payment of ransom.
