An Osun State High Court sitting in Ikire, the headquarters of the Irewole Local Government Area of the state has sentenced 42-year-old Prophet Philip Segun and 23-year-old Adeeko Owolabi to death over the murder of Favour Oladele, a 400-level Sociology student of the Lagos State University (LASU).
The mother of Owolabi, Adeeko Bola (46), was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Monday for eating cooked human flesh.
Segun was the owner of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Solution Chapel, Ikoyi-Ile, where Owolabi and his mother went to seek wealth on December 8, 2019
The convicts were arraigned on November 15, 2021 on two counts of conspiracy and murder contrary to Sections 324 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun, 2002.
Led by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Adekemi Bello, the prosecution team from the state Ministry of Justice told the court that Owolabi lured the victim, killed her, while her heart was cooked and other parts of the victim were used to make ‘victory soap’ for Bola.
The prosecution called nine witnesses and tendered exhibits, while the convicts, who had no witnesses, testified before the court and Owolabi confessed that he used his girlfriend to prepare a ritual meal for money ritual.
The presiding judge, Justice Christiana Obadina, agreed that prosecuting counsel has proven her case beyond a reasonable doubt and found the convicts guilty as charged.
Counsel for the convicts, Adeshina Olaniyan, urged the court to temper justice with mercy in passing her judgment.
The court, thereby, sentenced Segun and Owolabi to death by hanging for murder and 14 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy.
Obadina also sentenced Bola to two years’ imprisonment for eating human flesh.
