An Ogun State High Court sitting in Kobape, Abeokuta, on Monday, sentenced a driver, Lekan Adekanbi, and his accomplices, Ahmed Odetola and Waheed Adeniyi, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Kehinde Fatinoye, his wife Bukola, and their son, Oreoluwa, on January 1, 2023.
The family was attacked at their Ibara GRA residence shortly after returning from a crossover service.
The convicts, led by Adekanbi, stormed the house at about 2 a.m., killed the couple, and set their bodies and the house on fire. They also threw their son, Oreoluwa, and an adopted son into the Ogun River. While Oreoluwa did not survive, the adopted son managed to escape.
During investigations, Adekanbi confessed that he masterminded the attack because the Fatinoyes refused to increase his salary or grant him a loan.
“I took the step because the couple refused to increase my salary, and when I approached them for a loan to buy a motorcycle, they didn’t oblige,” he admitted.
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He revealed that he invited Odetola and Adeniyi to help him rob the family, forcing Kehinde Fatinoye to transfer N1.1 million to his account before killing them to cover their tracks.
Justice Basirat Adebowale, in her ruling, found the trio guilty on nine counts, including murder, conspiracy, and arson.
“You, Adekanbi, Odetola, and Adeniyi, for killing a father, mother, and son, do not deserve mercy. You are hereby sentenced to be hanged by the neck until you are dead or by lethal injection. May God have mercy on your souls,” she declared.
Other individuals linked to the crime received various sentences. Adekanbi’s wife, Temitope Fadairo, was jailed for two years for hiding him, while his mother, Adenike Adekanbi, got one year for giving false information to the police. Azeez Usman, who dismantled the stolen vehicle, was sentenced to 14 years.
The police described the case as one of the most gruesome crimes in Ogun State, highlighting the role of intelligence in tracking the suspects after Adekanbi initially escaped from custody.
