Bamise Murder Case: Court Sets Date For Landmark Judgment Amid Intense Public Scrutiny

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

Ominnikoron was charged by the Lagos State Government with four counts, including conspiracy, murder, and two counts of rape. The prosecution claims that on November 25, 2021, Ominnikoron raped 29-year-old Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu in Lagos and conspired with others—still at large—to sexually assault and murder 22-year-old Ayanwole, his passenger. The charges stem from Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Ominnikoron has pleaded not guilty.

Defense and Prosecution Arguments

During his final address, defense attorney Omotubora argued that the prosecution failed to present conclusive evidence proving Ominnikoron’s involvement in the crime. He highlighted that testimonies from prosecution witnesses did not directly link Ominnikoron to Ayanwole’s death. Omotubora also questioned the admissibility of a voice note allegedly sent by Ayanwole to a friend before her death, arguing it was hearsay since the friend was not called to testify.

However, DPP Martins countered that corroboration was not necessary in rape cases and emphasized that Ominnikoron was the last person seen with Ayanwole before her death. He noted that instead of reporting the incident to the authorities or his employer, Ominnikoron fled to Osoosa, Sagamu, Ogun State, where he was later apprehended by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) in 2022. Martins urged the court to consider Ayanwole’s voice note as credible evidence under Section 34 of the Nigerian Evidence Act.