Justice has finally taken its course following the court’s final verdict of a death by hanging sentence handed down to Andrew Nice Ominikoron, the driver with the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, over the murder of 22-year-old Bamise Ayanwola.
Ominikoron, who was arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, rape, murder, and sexual assault, was proclaimed guilty and sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Sherifat Sonaike.
In her judgment, Justice Sherifat Sonaike ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, defying further argument, especially with its tender of โlast seenโ and the dying declaration of Bamise to establish the grounds for Ominikoronโs guilt.
The People’s Insight recalls that Bamise was reported to have gone missing on February 26, 2022, after boarding a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle from the Ajah area of Lagos to Oshodi around 7pm on Friday 26, 2022. Bamise’s remains would later be found by the police.
Prior to her death, Bamise had sent a voice recording to a friend detailing her journey upon noticing that the BRT driver wouldn’t pick any passenger at subsequent bus stops en route her destination.
As the case intensifies, series of testimonies from witnesses corroborated that truly, Omonikorin did murder Bamise in cold blood. One of such witnesses was Goddy Ihende, who told the court that Ominikoron always raped his victims in secluded places.
Ihende, a Superintendent of Police, also told the court that apart from Bamise, Ominikoron had earlier attempted to rape another victim identified as Doctor Victoria Anieke.
According to him, the incident happened on December 29, 2021, when Anieke, who resided in Delta State, came to visit her parents and friend, who resided in the Ketu and Ikorodu areas of Lagos, respectively.
Ihende, who happened to be the seventh prosecution witness, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that the Omonikoron’s means of operation was to carry his victims alone and go to secluded places to rape them.
The witness, who was led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, said he took over Ominikoronโs case on March 7, 2022, from the Department of State Services.
He said when the matter got to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Ominikoron narrated to him what happened on February 26, when 22-year-old Oluwabamise boarded his bus.
The prosecution said Ominikoron on November 25, 2021, allegedly raped a 29-year-old lady whose name is Maryjane.
The judge, based on the series of evidence and testimonies against Ominikoron on Friday sentenced him to death by hanging.
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