Thursday, July 10, 2025 - A state high court in Minna, Niger State has sentenced a 16-year-old girl, Joy Afekafe, to life imprisonment for her role in the m8rder of a former lecturer, Dr. Mrs. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu.
Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of
Technology (FUT) Minna, Niger State, was m8rdered on 28 October 2023 at her
residence in Gbaiko area of Minna.
Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court No. 4
pronounced the sentence on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 after finding the teenager
guilty of the two-count charges of armed robbery and culpable homicide
punishable under Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.
Joy Afekafe had served as a housemaid to the late Dr
Adefolalu from 2 October 2023.
She was introduced to the household by Pastor Ojo Peters of
the Voice of Mercy Church, Minna, which both the deceased and Joy’s mother
attended.
While staying at the residence, Joy reportedly began
stealing property and foreign currency, prompting Dr Adefolalu to dismiss her
from her role.
Following her dismissal, the underage girl enlisted the help
of two friends identified as DJ Wallex and DJ Smart, to retaliate.
In her statement to officers of the Homicide Squad, State
Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Niger State Police
Command, the convict detailed how her accomplices, who remain at large, stabbed
the deceased multiple times with knives.
As the victim tried to defend herself with a stool, they
overpowered her, seized the stool, and struck her on the head, leading to her
immediate death. The attackers then stole two mobile phones, a laptop, and
foreign currency from her bedroom.
Delivering the judgment, which lasted over two hours,
Justice Mohammed stated that the prosecution had established both charges
against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.
"On the whole and for all the reasons stated in this
judgment, I hold that the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt
that: Dr Mrs Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu is dead," he ruled.
“That the d3ath of Dr Mrs Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu was
caused by the convict with her friends, now at large, when they used knives to
stab her severally and eventually hit her with a wooden stool with the
intention to k!ll her.
“From the evidence before me, I’m satisfied that the
prosecution has proved the offences of culpable homicide punishable with d3ath
and armed robbery against the convict.”
Justice Mohammed noted that, based on the convict’s
statement to the SCIID made on 3 November 2023 and her testimony in court, she
was 14 years old at the time of the offence.
He added, “Although she is now 16 years old, by the
provisions of Section 221 of the Penal Code, Laws of Niger State 1989,
whosoever is found guilty of culpable homicide punishable with d3ath shall be
sentenced to d3ath by a method prescribed by the trial judge.
“However, where the convict is less than 18 years old at the
time of the offence, a sentence of d3ath shall not be pronounced or recorded.
Instead, the court shall sentence the person to life custodial or to such other
terms.”
He subsequently sentenced her to life in a custodial centre
for culpable homicide and ten years for armed robbery.
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