The Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Ominikoron, to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwola.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Serifat Sonaike declared that the prosecution, led by the Lagos State Government, had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In the emotional courtroom verdict that lasted over two and a half hours, Justice Sonaike ruled:
“That for the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you.”
The conviction marks the end of a high-profile case that drew national outrage and protests in 2022, after Bamise’s disappearance and subsequent death following her last-known journey on a BRT bus in Lagos.
The court’s decision reflects a major victory for the family of the deceased and rights advocates who had demanded accountability and justice. Prosecutors maintained that Ominikoron lured and attacked the young lady while she was a passenger in his BRT vehicle.
While the defence attempted to deflect blame, the court rejected Ominikoron’s claims and pointed to the weight of evidence presented by the prosecution.
More developments on the court’s full sentencing and further legal proceedings are expected to follow.
