COURT FINALLY SENTENCES BRT DRIVER TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF BAMISE 

Justice Serifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court has sentenced BRT driver Andrew Nice Ominikoron to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwole.

Delivering the judgment at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on Friday, Justice Sonaike ruled that the Lagos State government proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. “For the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you,” the judge declared.

Though there were no eyewitnesses, the court relied on strong circumstantial evidence, including pathologist reports and a dying declaration by the victim, to convict the defendant.

Ominikoron was also found guilty of raping a 29-year-old woman, Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu, on November 25, 2021. However, in the case of Bamise, the court downgraded the rape charge to attempted rape, as medical evidence of penetration was lacking.

He was acquitted of conspiracy charges due to insufficient evidence. The charges against him stemmed from multiple incidents involving the assault and murder of female passengers on his BRT bus.

Ominikoron had pleaded not guilty to all charges.