Ondo Court: Vulcaniser to Hang for Man's Death Over Stolen Phone

An Akure High Court in Ondo State has condemned Wasiu Ibrahim, a vulcaniser, to death by hanging for the murder of Joseph Odunayo, who was accused of stealing a mobile phone. Justice Ademola Enikuomehin, presiding over the case, found Ibrahim guilty of both murder and conspiracy to murder, stating that the prosecution successfully established its case beyond all reasonable doubt. Additionally, Ibrahim received a two-year prison sentence for the conspiracy charge.

Prosecuting counsel, D.S. Msonter-Shagba, informed the court that the crimes took place on December 31, 2024, along Continental Road in Akure. This incident followed the alleged theft of an Infinix mobile phone, belonging to one Lekan Falohun, on December 25, 2024. The prosecution detailed how Odunayo was accused of this theft and subsequently apprehended by Lekan and several other individuals, including the convicted vulcaniser. When arraigned on November 25, 2025, Ibrahim entered a plea of not guilty to the two-count charge.

To prove its case, the prosecution presented six witnesses and six exhibits, among which was the testimony of Mrs. Taiwo Falohun, Lekan’s mother and the owner of the supposedly stolen phone. Evidence laid before the court indicated that Odunayo was forced to lead his captors to the person who allegedly purchased the stolen device. During this process, he reportedly leaped from a moving motorcycle, sustaining injuries. However, after being recaptured on December 31, 2024, he was allegedly bound and severely assaulted by Ibrahim, Lekan, and other accomplices who are currently at large.

Witnesses recounted to the court how the assailants continued their assault on the deceased despite pleas from family members and community leaders. Emmanuel Sunday, the deceased’s brother, testified that Ibrahim played a central role in the attack, continuing to beat Odunayo even after he had collapsed. Another witness, Bose Ojo, stated that she observed Ibrahim push the deceased out of a vehicle and repeatedly strike him with a plank.

The prosecution further revealed that when the severely injured victim was eventually taken to a police station, officers refused to detain him due to his critical condition, instead instructing that he be transported to a hospital for urgent medical attention. Odunayo later succumbed to his injuries at a police clinic. Despite the absence of an autopsy, Justice Enikuomehin concluded that the consistent eyewitness accounts and the sequence of events clearly demonstrated that the brutal beating inflicted upon the deceased was the direct cause of his death.

The judge dismissed Ibrahim’s defense, which claimed he was merely an Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) hired by Lekan and the deceased, and had no involvement in the assault. In his ruling, Justice Enikuomehin emphasized that the testimonies of eyewitnesses, who identified Ibrahim as one of the attackers, remained consistent and unshaken throughout the trial. He strongly condemned mob action and extrajudicial punishment, labeling them as unacceptable in a society governed by the rule of law. The judge also urged law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend Lekan Falohun and other remaining suspects linked to the incident. Pronouncing the sentence, Justice Enikuomehin declared, “You, Wasiu Ibrahim, shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may the good Lord have mercy upon you.”