A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel, Air Craft Man (ACM), Kalu Bernard Ayomide, has been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for killing his lover, a female colleague at the Airforce base in Makurdi. The 22-year-old Ayomide was convicted based on charges of murder, house breaking, attempt to murder one Samuel Onah Echo, failure to perform military duties, disobedient to standing order and losing service property.
Delivering the judgement at 8:30 pm yesterday, the President of the 10-man General Court Martial, Group Captain Elisha Bindul, held that the accused was guilty of six out of eight-count charges levelled against him.
Bindul, therefore, sentenced the convict to death by hanging.
It will be recalled that the convict had gunned down his lover, a female colleague, Air Craft Woman (ACW) Oladipo Dorcas Sholape, on March 12 this year over suspicion that she was cheating on him.
He had also made an attempt to shoot a civilian, Samuel Onah Echo, said to be a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who he (Ayomide) suspected was having an affair with the deceased.
The court however acquitted the convict of two-count charges of impersonation and misconduct of drinking Izal with the impression of poisoning himself based on the fact that the prosecution could not prove both charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Counsel to the convict, Abimiku Ewuga, of the Ebofuame-Nezam chambers in Makurdi, said the court had delivered its judgment but added that the decision would be tested at the appellate court.
The Prosecution, Oluremi Ilori, on his part said justice had been done and that the deceased would be happy in her grave.
Meanwhile, the court held that the verdict would be subject to confirmation of the convening authority.
Source: DailyTrust
