Cook who killed Credit Switch boss, Opeyemi Bademosi, sentenced to life imprisonment

An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced a Béninoise cook , Sunday Anani , to life imprisonment for the murder of his employer , the Chief Executive Officer of Credit Switch Ltd . , Opeyemi Bademosi .
Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu – Ighile convicted Anani following his plea of guilty to a one -count charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Anani , 22 , was initially charged by the Lagos State Government on two counts of murder and armed robbery .

He pleaded not guilty but when trial began , Anani entered a plea bargain agreement for a lesser charge .

He then pleaded guilty to voluntarily manslaughter with the help of his counsel , Mrs Aderenra Adeyemi , the Director of the Office Defender
He, therefore , confessed that he stabbed Chief Bademosi to death in his Ikoyi, Lagos , home , while trying to rob him .

He also confirmed that he was the person caught on closed – circuit television camera fleeing the scene of the crime .
The defendant ’ s initial plea of not guilty would have fetched him a death sentence by hanging, if found guilty .
Before sentencing the defendant , the court asked his counsel , if he had an allocutus – plea for leniency .

Adeyemi said : “ The defendant is a young man and he is remorseful about what he has done . He is a first- time offender , there is no evidence that he committed any crime before this .

“ Our humble application is to urge your lordship to grant a sentence of years certain .
“ However , if my lordship is mindful of upholding what we have agreed in the plea bargain , we will accept the sentence therein . ”
The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions , Ms Titilayo Shitta – Bey, opposed the prayer .

Shitta – Bey said : “ We urge this court to grant the maximum sentence for the offence of voluntary manslaughter as charged . ”
She said that there were some “ special aggravating circumstances ” surrounding the case, such as breach of trust .
“ The defendant was employed into the home of his boss , entrusted with a high level of responsibilities as a cook .
“ Barely three days after resumption of duty , the defendant cut short the life of a man that gave him a new lease of life, depriving him the privilege of enjoying life with his wife and children .

“ Judicial notice must be taken of the fact that this act of violence by domestic employees against their employers is becoming rampant .
“ The sentence must reflect that this conduct is unacceptable to our society; we must send the message to others of like minds . ”
After, the submissions , Okikiolu – Ighile passed judgement on Anani .

The judge said : “ it is annoying that a young man like this will involve himself in this kind of crime . What did he hope to achieve in life involving himself in this kind of crime , I ask ?
“ It is very painful that a young man , who the family of Bademosi welcomed in their home as a cook , ended up causing so much havoc and endless pain .
“ It is even more painful that the defendant had no motive of working but came into the house with a criminal intention to steal, kill and to destroy .

“ The defendant admitted , ‘ I killed him . ’ This was an innocent and unsuspecting family ” .
Upholding the plea bargain and sentence agreement , the judge held : “ Sunday Adefonou Anani is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment .
“ The term of imprisonment shall commence from today , June 25 , 2019 . ”
The prosecution had said that the defendant committed the murder on Oct . 31 , 2018 , at Park View Estate , Ikoyi, Lagos .
It said that the defendant stabbed the deceased , aged 67 , to death with a knife , and stole his valuables , in contravention of Sections 223 and 297 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State , 2015 .

The prosecution called two witnesses, including the deceased ’ s wife Ebunola Bademosi , who testified as to how she found her husband in a pool of blood .
While trial was going on , the defendant through a letter dated May, 20 , written through his counsel , expressed his willingness to voluntarily plead guilty to a lesser offence , which was thereafter accepted .
( NAN)

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