The Lagos State High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, has reserved judgment in the case against Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver Andrew Ominikoron, who is accused of raping and murdering 22-year-old fashion designer Oluwabamise Ayanwola in 2022.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike has set May 2, 2025, as the date for the verdict after both the prosecution and the defense presented their final written arguments on Thursday.
The defense attorney, Abayomi Omotubora, argued that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove Ominikoron’s guilt. He pointed out that none of the nine prosecution witnesses had directly linked his client to Ayanwola’s death. Omotubora also dismissed a voice note that Ayanwola allegedly sent to a friend as inadmissible hearsay, noting that the friend had not been called as a witness.
Furthermore, Omotubora challenged the prosecution’s reliance on the “last-seen” doctrine, stating that mere suspicion was not enough to convict the defendant without substantial circumstantial evidence. Regarding the testimony from a prosecution witness who claimed to have been previously raped by Ominikoron, the defense argued that such an accusation required further corroboration.
On the other hand, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, urged the court to convict Ominikoron, referencing key testimonies from prosecution witnesses. He also cited Section 34 of the Nigerian Evidence Act, which allows the court to evaluate dying declarations, defending the admissibility of the deceased’s voice note.
Ominikoron faces a four-count charge of conspiracy, rape, and murder brought against him by the Lagos State Government. He was arraigned in March 2022 for allegedly raping and killing Ayanwola on February 26, 2022, along the Lekki-Ajah Motorway. The prosecution claims Ominikoron conspired with others, who are still at large, to commit the crime.
The charges state that Ominikoron unlawfully had carnal knowledge of Ayanwola and murdered her around 7 p.m. between Lekki-Ajah Expressway and Carter Bridge. The offenses are said to contravene Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Ominikoron, however, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case will proceed with the court’s judgment expected on May 2, 2025.
