A young man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ekiti High court after setting his former boss ablaze.
The 41-year-old man, Olasunkanmi Kareem, was arraigned in court on the 18th of November, 2024 on charges of murder.
According to the charge sheet, “The defendant, on August 11, 2024, at Ifaki Ekiti, attempted to m8rder one Omoboriwo Bashiru by setting him ablaze.”
Narrating his ordeal before the court, the victim said, “The defendant was once my apprentice at my mechanic workshop. Even after he graduated, I continued to assist him whenever he had issues with customers’ cars.
“On that day, he called me around 8pm, asking about a carburettor I had helped him repair. When I told him I didn’t see it, he became abusive and threatened to set me ablaze wherever he found me. I thought he was joking. Later, I called him, and he told me where he was.”
“We met at a vulcanizer’s workshop, and an argumen ensued. Unknown to me, he had a gallon of petrol in his hand. Since it was dark, I didn’t see it until he poured it on me. When I realized it was petrol, I tried to run, but my body was already on fire. I fell into a drainage before some passersby rescued me and put out the fire. I suffered severe burns and was rushed to the hospital,” Bashiru recounted.
According to the Judge, Justice Jibril Aladejana, while giving his judgement disclosed that the accused ambushed the victim, poured petrol on him and set him ablaze.
“The facts before the court show that the defendant deliberately set out to harm the victim. But for the intervention of passersby, the victim would have d!ed. This intentional act of causing grievous bodily harm amounts to attempted murder,” the judge ruled.
“In my view, the defendant does not deserve leniency. He should face the full wrath of the law,” Aladejana added before sentencing Kareem to life imprisonment.
