An apprentice, Olasunkanmi Kareem, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to murder his former boss by setting him ablaze.
Justice Jubril Aladejana of the Ekiti State High Court convicted Kareem after he was found guilty of the crime.
The 41-year-old defendant was arraigned on November 18, 2024, facing a charge of attempted murder, which is contrary to Section 241 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
The charge stated that on August 11, 2024, in Ifaki Ekiti, Kareem attempted to kill Omoboriwo Bashiru by setting him on fire.
During his testimony in court, the victim, Omoboriwo Bashiru, explained, “The defendant was formerly my apprentice at my mechanic workshop, I always assisted him whenever he had issues with his customers while repairing their cars even after graduation.”
He continued, “On a fateful day, he called around 8:00pm and asked me about a carburetor I helped him repair, I told him I didn’t see it, he was abusing and threatened me that he would set me ablaze wherever he saw me.”
“I thought he was joking, I called him and he described where he was for me, we met at a vulcanizer workshop where an argument ensued between us, I did not know he held a gallon of petrol in his hand because it was dark, he poured the content on my body.”
“When I discovered it was petrol I tried to run but there was fire all over my body, I fell into a drainage where some passersby put off the fire, I have burnt wounds all over my body and I was later taken to the hospital,” he concluded.
The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented four additional witnesses and submitted several exhibits, including the defendant’s statements, pictures of the victim, and a medical report.
The defendant chose to defend himself through his lawyer, but did not call any witnesses.
In his judgment, Justice Aladejana remarked, “The facts before the court are that the defendant understudied the victim for over ten years and set up his own workshop as a mechanic.”
“The defendant lured the victim to his shop, stood in ambush behind an electric pole, and armed with petrol, poured it on him and ignited it. But for the intervention of the passersby, the victim would have been killed.”
“This intentional act of causing grievous bodily harm is an attempt to murder, in my view the defendant does not deserve leniency, rather the defendant should face the full wrath of the law.”
“In the circumstance, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment.”
