The Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, the state capital, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Joseph Abayomi, to death for hacking his neighbour, Thomas Oluwole, to death in the state.
Abayomi was sentenced to death by hanging on Monday after he was found guilty of killing Oluwole in 2021 at the Ijoka area of Akure.
The convict was said to have been involved in an argument of well water poisoning with the 63-year-old bricklayer.
However, Abayomi attacked the deceased with a machete on his neck and other parts of his body during the heated argument and was arrested by the police following a report.
He was subsequently charged to court on a count charge of murder in a case filed through the information deposited by an Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Omotola Ologun, from the Ondo State Ministry of Justice.
During the proceedings, the convict was said to have claimed to be insane while committing the crime.
After a series of arguments from both the prosecuting and defence counsels, the court found Abayomi guilty of the offence.
In his judgment, the trial judge, Justice O.S Kuteyi, said Abayomi cannot be exonerated from the death of Oluwole following his actions, insisting the defendant deliberately attacked the deceased by hitting him on his head using a cutlass.
While holding that the prosecution had proven the case of murder against Abayomi beyond reasonable doubt, the judge sentenced him to death by hanging.
