A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, has sentenced Andrew Ominikoron, a driver of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to death by hanging for killing Bamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer.
The trial Judge, Sherifat Sonaike, gave the judgment on Friday.
In March 2022, Ominikoron, 47, was arraigned by the Lagos State Government on a four-count charge bordering on alleged rape, conspiracy, sexual assault and murder.
According to the charge, the murder occurred on February 26, 2022, at about 7pm near the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Expressway, Lagos.
The prosecution said Ominikoron conspired with others now at large and forcefully had sexual intercourse with Bamise after which he murdered her. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence.
However, the convict, while giving his testimony during trial earlier, told the court that he illegally picked up Bamise at the Chevron bus stop on a return trip to Oshodi after he had off-loaded passengers on the Oshodi-Ajah route at around 8pm that day.
Bamise went missing after boarding a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) February 26, 2022 at Chevron, Lekki enroute Oshodi at about 7pm.
Her decomposing body was found on Ebute-Ero/Carter Bridge, Lagos Island on March 7, 2022.
She was going to visit her elder brother whose wife was about to put to bed when she met her untimely death.
Bamise’s murder on BRT cost operators N18 million in shutdown. The bus driver, Ominikoron, is faced the five-count charge at the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
Bamise worked as a fashion designer on Chevron Estate in Ajah, Lagos and spent the weekends in Ota, Ogun State, with her sibling.
Omininikoron was arrested at his hiding place in Ogun by Department of State Services (DSS) personnel.
The victim was later buried on December 16, 2022, 10 months after she was raped and killed.
