Ekiti man sentenced to death for killing brother
An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a man to death by hanging after finding him guilty of killing his brother during a violent dispute. The tragic case, which has drawn public attention, highlights how a family argument spiraled into a deadly confrontation that ended with one brother losing his life.
According to court documents, the convict, identified as Sunday Ajayi, was charged with murder after he attacked his younger brother, Kayode Ajayi, with a machete during an argument at their family compound in Ado-Ekiti. Witnesses testified that the fight began over a property disagreement, which quickly escalated into violence.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olukayode Ogundana held that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court ruled that the defendant’s action was deliberate and unlawful, leading to the death of his brother. Justice Ogundana, therefore, sentenced him to death by hanging, describing the act as “a painful betrayal of blood ties.”
During the trial, the defense had pleaded for leniency, arguing that the convict acted in the heat of anger. However, the judge stated that the law must take its course to serve as a deterrent to others who resort to violence in resolving family disputes.
Residents of the area expressed mixed feelings about the ruling, with some supporting the decision while others described it as a tragic end to a family conflict that could have been avoided through dialogue.
