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Judge dismisses plea bargain, jails man 21 years for killing wife

Published

2 years ago

June 17, 2022

Justice Yetunde Adesanya

The Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced a man, Daniel Gajo, to 21 years’ imprisonment for stabbing his 24-year-old wife, Esther, to death.

Gajo had initially pleaded not guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter during his arraignment and was remanded on June 13, 2013.

The prosecution said the act was contrary to Section 227 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, the prosecution, led by Olayemi Shofolu, informed the court that the defendant had decided to plead guilty to the charge.

He submitted the plea bargain and sentencing agreement signed by the defence counsel and prayed the court to grant the 17 years’ jail term as recommended in the agreement.

The defence counsel, S.N. Nwodo, confirmed the arrangement with the prosecution.

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Gajo also confirmed the agreement under oath and told the court that he was not compelled to change his plea for a reduced sentence.

The amended charge was read and he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter contrary to Section 227 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

However, Justice Adesanya said she was not impressed with the plea bargain due to the severity of the crime.

She said, “The defendant took his wife’s life in her mother’s home. I am not bound by the sentencing agreement and can decide to increase the years. No one has the right to take another person’s life.”

Passing her judgment, the judge said the recommended sentence was not commensurate to the crime committed by the defendant.

She noted that the crime was “unprovoked and premeditated.”

Adesanya said, “I have taken into account the statements of the parties. I also recognise that the court is not bound to accept the sentencing agreement. In view of this, I hereby convict you, Daniel Gajo, as charged. Having regard to all considerations, this court rejects the 17 years sentencing agreement. I hereby sentence you, Daniel Gajo, to 21 years in prison starting from the day of your remand, June 13, 2013.”

Judgements premised on plea bargain agreements have resulted in controversies in the country’s legal system.

In September 2021, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court also sentenced a 23-year-old chef, Joshua Usulor, to 28 years’ imprisonment for killing a 34-year-old lawyer, Mrs Feyisayo Obot, in a hotel room in Lagos on January 26, 2019.

Usulor had entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution and a 21-year sentence was recommended.

However, the judge rejected the agreement, saying it was too lenient and sentenced the convict to 28 years in prison.

Despite the increase in the jail term, many observers said the sentence was light and called for tougher punishments for capital offences to serve as deterrent to others.

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Related Topics:jails Judge killing wife plea bargain

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.