- The judge emphasized the prosecution’s strong circumstantial evidence, citing Tayo’s admission to owning an unfinished building and last sighting with the deceased as contributing factors.
- On September 13, 2019, Tayo and his accomplices allegedly robbed Abdullahi Chali Yahaya of his Bajaj motorcycle valued at N215,000.
A native of Angwan Roka, Maitumbi in Minna, Tunde Tayo was found guilty of the horrifically violent murder of a commercial motorbike rider in Niger State and was sentenced to death by hanging.
Wednesday’s verdict was given by Justice Mohammed Mohammed Adishetu, the presiding judge, following a rigorous two-hour trial at Minna High Court 4.
According to articles 298 and 221 of the Niger State Penal Code of 1989, Tayo was found guilty on two counts of culpable homicide and armed robbery.
The charges originated from an incident on September 13, 2019, when Tayo, along with his accomplices (currently at large), allegedly lured and robbed Abdullahi Chali Yahaya, a commercial motorcyclist, of his Bajaj motorcycle valued at N215,000.
The perpetrators then murdered Yahaya, decapitated him, and buried his body in a shallow grave inside an uncompleted building in the Maitumbi area of Minna.
The case was brought to trial by the head of the Legal Unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Niger State Police Command, Jude Thaddeus Akaeze.
During the trial, the judge stated the strength of the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution, adding that Tayo’s admission to owning the uncompleted building and being last seen with the deceased contributed to the case against him.
Justice Mohammed Mohammed pronounced, “On the charge of robbery in section 298 of the penal code, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the second count charge of culpable homicide under section 221 of the penal code law, you, Tunde Tayo, are hereby convicted and sentenced to death by hanging until you die. May Almighty God have mercy on your soul.”