A High Court in Akure has brought closure to a long-running murder case, sentencing 21-year-old Emmanuel Akpan to death by hanging for the killing of his employer, Mrs. Febisola Caroline Adedayo, in Ondo State.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Rotimi Olamide, follows the conclusion of legal proceedings that began after the incident on March 29, 2021, at Ifakanbale Street in the Sabo area of Ondo town.

According to court records, Akpan, who worked as a houseboy, was found guilty of attacking the victim with a machete, inflicting fatal injuries to her neck. Investigators say the act was carried out with the intent to steal valuables from the residence.

Prosecutors told the court that items including ATM cards, mobile phones, and a generator were taken, while there was also an attempt to set the house on fire in what authorities described as an effort to conceal evidence.

The case, instituted by the Ondo State Attorney-General, charged the defendant and another suspect with conspiracy and murder under the state’s Criminal Code. During the trial, the court heard witness testimonies and reviewed a confessional statement attributed to the convict.

Justice Olamide ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution sufficiently established guilt, describing the act as cruel and noting that the victim had previously shown kindness to the defendant.

While a second defendant, Goodness James Akpe, was discharged due to lack of evidence, the court imposed the death sentence on Akpan, marking the end of a judicial process that authorities say underscores the consequences of violent crime under the law.