Court sentences ex-cop to 10 years imprisonment for killing wedding guest

Goji, who was a serving officer of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at the time he killed a wedding guest on Sunday, November 21, 2021, was charged with murder.

According to the charge, the ex-policeman on Sunday, November 21, 2021, at a hotel in Ado Ekiti “did murder one Abayomi Olaoye, contrary to Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.”

In her statement to the police, an eyewitness of the incident, Bukola Omorinkoba, said she, alongside other family members, including the deceased, lodged in the hotel for a wedding at Ise Ekiti area of the state, when Goji and his colleagues interrupted them while relaxing.

“At about 9:00 pm, we were relaxing at the hotel’s reception when we saw the defendant, alongside other police officers, drive in a Toyota Hilux van. Immediately they opened the vehicle’s door, he opened fire on us. The bullet hit the deceased and Adebayo Ilori,” Omorinkoba stated.

Omorinkoba added that the two men were rushed to tertiary health facilities in the state capital where Olaoye was confirmed dead.

In his defence, Goji stated that it was an accidental discharge.

“I used the rifle to abort a robbery operation the previous day but forgot to close the rifle’s chamber. I was at the hotel to celebrate my promotion with my colleagues. On opening the vehicle’s door, the rifle discharged accidentally; I did not do it intentionally,” the ex-cop explained how the incident happened.

Justice Adeniyi Familoni, who presided over the matter, maintained that the prosecution proved the offence of manslaughter against the defendant.

He, therefore, sentenced the defendant to 10 years imprisonment.