Man jailed 15 years for manslaughter

A 52-year-old man, Joshua Akanbi, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by an Ado Ekiti High Court for manslaughter.

He committed the crime during a communal clash over land between Ayede Ekiti and Itaji Ekiti in 2017.

The convict was arraigned alongside Abiodun Ogundamisi, 40, and Segun Ogundamisi, 22, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

The judge, Toyin Abodunde, held that evidence before the court proved that Mr Akanbi was guilty of manslaughter for opening fire on one Seyi Oladipupo during a dispute. Two communities were laying claim to Orisunmibare farm settlement which later caused the victim’s death.

Mrs Abodunde ruled that evidence before the court was not enough to find the accused persons guilty of murder under Section 316 of Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State 2012 and subsequently discharged them of the charge.

The court consequently found the convict guilty of manslaughter for shooting the deceased contravening Section 319 and 326 Cap 6 Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

The convict reportedly opened fire when an attempt was made to disarm him during an argument.

The accused persons were first arraigned on July 6, 2017 when the charges were read to them to which they pleaded not guilty.

When the incident occurred on January 31, 2017 at the farm settlement, the deceased was rushed to a nearby hospital after being shot but later died owing to excessive loss of blood.

In his effort to prove the case of murder against the convict, the Solicitor General, Babatope Ojo, had called seven witnesses including the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) and a medical doctor.

Exhibits tendered include one pump action gun, photographs taken at the scene of the incident, live cartridges and statements of the accused persons.

The defence counsel, Sule Longe, called eight witnesses and also tendered photographs of the machete wounds sustained by the convict and the statements volunteered to the police.