Kwara student murder: Three family members, one other arraigned
Four people including a final year student of Summit University, Offa, Adebayo Happiness were on Tuesday arraigned at a Kwara State chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin over alleged murder of a 21-year-old graduate of Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, Awesu Mojisola.
Mojisola was allegedly murdered inside the room of Whitefield Hotel, Ilorin, Kwara State capital by Happiness on August 10, 2024 after deceiving her to attend a botched post graduation party in Ilorin.
Charged along with Happiness were his two parents, Adebayo Adeniyi (51) and Bukola Adeniyi (49) as well as an accomplice, 24 year old Timileyin Kolawole.
PUNCH Online reported August 30, almost three weeks after the murder took place that seven suspects had been arrested in connection to the crime.
However, four were charged before the court for alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, theft, false personation, and causing disappearance of evidence contrary to sections 97, 221, 287, 179 and 167 of the Penal Code Law and computer related frauds contrary to sections 14(2) (3), 22 (2) (3) of Cybercrime Prevention and Prohibition Law 2015.
The prosecution led by Isaac Yakub ASP told the Court that on August 14, 2024, one Blessing Ogungbenro reported at Offa Police station that her roommate, Awesu Mojisola, a graduating student of Kwara state College of Health Technology, Offa was missing since Friday, August 9, 2024 she told her that she received a phone call from one Kolawole Timileyin joining her to one Adebayo Joshua Happiness ‘m’ a final year student of Summit University Offa Kwara State who was requesting Mojisola to follow him to his sign out party holding at Whitefield Hotel, Ilorin for a fee of N15,000.
“Awesu Mojisola later accepted the offer and left Offa to meet up with Adebayo Joshua Happiness at Ilorin lately and that while Awesu Mojisola was with Adebayo Joshua Happiness, she complains of being uncomfortable with Adebayo Joshua Happiness in the hotel room that she was lodged because Adebayo Joshua Happiness was smoking Hemp.
“Thereafter, Awesu Mojisola’s phone suddenly became unreachable and her whereabouts becomes unknown adding that immediate police action led to the arrest of Adebayo Joshua Happiness who was fingered in the sudden disappearance of Awesu Mojisola.”
He said further that, “During investigation it was revealed that Adebayo Joshua Happiness had deliberately lured Awesu Mojisola from Offa to Ilorin on the pretense of inviting her for a joint sign-out party of Summit and Al-Hikma Universities purported to be holding at Whitefield Hotel but it was fake.
“At the early hours of 10/08/2024 Adebayo Joshua Happiness killed ond abandoned the
lifeless body of Awesu Mojisola in the hotel room, locked the room and ran away with Mojisola Awesu iPhone 11pro and her sum of N15,600 to Offa.
“During discreet investigation, Adebayo Joshua Happiness confessed that he invited Awesu Mojisola to Ilorin from Offa deceiving her that there is a sign out party at Whitefield Hotel Ilorin, killed her abandoned the lifeless body of Awesu Mojisola in the hotel room, locked it and flee away with her money and her iPhone to Offa.”
The prosecution further told the Court that the mother of the prime suspect, Adeniyi Bukola later assisted Happiness to remove the sim card in the victim’s phone and hid it in a fence block far away from their residence at Ogunse area in Offa while Happiness father assisted in keeping the iPhone in a family car parked within their compound.
The court did not however took the plea of the suspects.
The defense counsel, Mr A. Iwalaye however pleaded with the Court to grant all the suspects bail adding that they would not jump bail and be regular in their appearance at the court proceedings and “they are ready to provide reliable sureties to stand for them in the court.”
But the prosecutor, ASP Isaac Yakub opposed the plea saying that the case was criminal and involved the termination of a life of a human being.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Wahab Saka then ordered the remand of the suspects at the Federal Correctional Centre, Oke Kura, Ilorin.
The case was adjourned till September 12, 2024 for further hearing.
