Bamise Murder: Court Fixes Date To Deliver Judgement On Controversial Case

Justice Serifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), has scheduled May 2, 2025, for the judgment in the trial of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver Andrew Ominnikoron, who is accused of murdering his passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwole.

The judge set the date after the prosecution, led by Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Babajide Martins, and the defense counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, presented their final written addresses.

Naija News reports that the Lagos State Government had arraigned Ominnikoron on a four-count charge of conspiracy, murder, and two counts of rape.

The prosecution alleged that on November 25, 2021, Ominnikoron raped a 29-year-old woman, Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu, in Lagos. He was also accused of conspiring with others—who are still at large—to sexually assault his 22-year-old passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, before murdering her.

The charges were brought under Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Ominnikoron, however, pleaded not guilty.

Defense and Prosecution Arguments

In his final address, defense counsel Omotubora argued that the prosecution had failed to provide material evidence proving Ominnikoron’s guilt.

He noted that testimonies from prosecution witnesses did not directly implicate the defendant in the events leading to the victim’s death.

He further challenged the admissibility of a voice note allegedly sent by Ayanwole to her friend before her death, arguing that it amounted to hearsay since the friend was not called to testify in court.

However, DPP Martins countered that corroboration, as raised by the defense, was not necessary in rape cases. He also emphasized that the defendant was the last person seen with the deceased before her death.

Instead of reporting the incident to the police or his employer, Ominnikoron fled to Osoosa, Sagamu, Ogun State, where he was eventually arrested by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) in 2022.

Referring to Section 34 of the Nigerian Evidence Act, Martins urged the court to assign probative value to the deceased’s voice note, arguing that it should be considered credible evidence in the case.

The court will now deliver its verdict on May 2, 2025.