An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a middle-aged man, Sunday Omoniyi, to death by hanging for killing his co-tenant, Michael Oyebanji, during a quarrel.
Omoniyi was found guilty of stabbing Oyebanji to death on July 23, 2022, at their residence on Canaanland, Ijoka Road, Akure.
He was charged with murder contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code of Ondo State.
A landlord, Ismaila Adefaka, testified that he found the victim lying in a pool of blood after hearing noises from Omoniyi’s apartment.
Other tenants said the men had earlier argued over closing the house door but later went their separate ways, only for a fresh confrontation to erupt.
One witness told the court that they returned to find Oyebanji on the floor with stab wounds, while Omoniyi stood holding a blood-stained knife.
Another said the convict admitted stabbing the deceased in retaliation after being punched.
Police prosecutor Inspector, Fisayo Oladepo, confirmed that Omoniyi confessed to the crime during interrogation.
In delivering judgment, Justice W. Olamide ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced Omoniyi to death by hanging.
