Twenty-nine-year-old lanlord’s son, Oyeleye Ayodeji, who allegedly stabbed a 50-year-old tenant to death, has pleaded with the Federal Government to pardon his misdeed and not send him to jail, promising to support the deceased’s adult children financially when he gets good income.
The late tenant, Mrs Abidemi Adebola Johnson, a widow was brutally murdered on Wednesday, June 1 at about 11pm, at the Atah Estate, Awotan, Ibadan, Oyo State residence belonging to the suspect’s father.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the incident occurred when the suspect, who was living with his parents in another house built by his father at Olomo area of Apete community went to the Awotan residence on Wednesday to sleep there for an unknown reason.
The four-bedroom building had only the deceased as a tenant when the landlord’s son went there. She was said to have been there for about two years and had prepared to pack out her belongings the following day, Thursday, before she met her untimely death.
Residents who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune said they heard of a struggle going on in the residence late in the night, which made them to think that armed robbers were around.
They were, however, shocked when policemen who were called from Apete Division got into the residence and met the widow lifeless almost at the entrance, with blood oozing from her neck and abdomen.
The neighbours said that the condition in which she was met showed that she must have struggled to come out of the house before she slumped and died.
By then, the suspect was said to have hidden in the ceiling before he was brought down by the police.
Residents also said that though the suspect claimed that he had an altercation with the late widow, they suspected that he must attempted to rape her, which she resisted prompting the fatal stabbing.
The deceased’s room was also seen to be in disarray, indicating a probable struggle before her death.
The suspect’s father, said to be the founder of a white garment church, was said to have been shocked at his son’s act, saying that his son was in the church that evening playing keyboard.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue at the State Hospital, Ibadan, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, for further investigation.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State command, SP Adewale Osifeso, said that investigation into the case had begun, while an update would be given later.
Nigerian Tribune had a brief interaction with the suspect in the midst of the tumultuous crowd on what led him to murder the widow who would have turned 51 in August.
He spoke thus: “I’m from Ibadan. I’m a musician. I started singing and playing keyboard in 2015. I belong to a white garment church (name withheld) but I used to work for other denominations when called.
“What happened was that a friend invited me for a programme which I thought was meant for the day, not knowing that it was scheduled for June 26. I was on my way there when he called me that it was not for that day.
“In frustration, I decided to go to my parents’ house at Awotan where we lived before we moved to the one we are in now at Olomo area of Apete community.
“The house at Awotan is four-bedroom. We moved out of it when armed robbers were attacking us frequently, leaving the only tenant, the woman I killed.
“I knew she was a widow with two children. She moved into the house almost two years ago. We even rendered help to her when she came to source for accommodation. She paid for six months and was owing one and a half years rent.
“When I got there, she came to open the back door for me. She later came knocking on my door, telling me to unlock the front door, as she wanted to pack out of the house the following morning.
“I replied that she should not trouble me as I just got in. She said I should stop shouting at her. I didn’t know how I got angry.
“Before then, she said she was travelling on March 25. While away, armed robbers came to the house, and I was there. That set me thinking.
“That was how I attacked her with a knife I went to pick from the kitchen. She struggled with me to prevent being stabbed but I overpowered her. I stabbed her in the neck and stomach. That was how she died shortly after.”
When asked whether he killed the woman because she probably resisted his attempt to rape her as being insinuated by neighbours, the suspect replied in the negative. He also denied being on drugs but said he just took some bottles of beer before the incident.
He stated further that he used to drink the beer to be energized while playing as a musician.
Pleading, the suspect said: “The government should have mercy on me and should not jail me. I promise to work and help her two children.”
