An Osun State High Court sitting in Iwo, under Justice Lateef Adegoke has sentenced one Kabiru Ibrahim to death by hanging for the murder of his client, Lukman Adeleke.

The defendant who happens to be an Islamic cleric was sentenced on three counts charges on conspiracy, murder, and theft.

The prosecution team led by Abiodun Badiora had narrated how Ibrahim was a spiritual consultant to the deceased stating that his charges contravened Sections 324, 319(1), and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 34, Laws of Osun State.

Badiora said that the deceased had approached the cleric and informed him that he wanted to purchase a parcel of land and Ibrahim asked him to bring the money to him first so he could pray on it before he would proceed to pay the vendor.

Adeleke agreed to Ibrahim’s idea and took the money to him only to go missing after the prayers.

His family searched everywhere they knew for him but couldn’t find him only to be told by an informant that he was last seen the day he visited Ibrahim’s residence.

The family approached the spiritualist to enquire about what they were told only for him to deny setting eyes on the missing follower untill after two weeks when someone spoke up that he had seen the deceased the day the cleric took him to his house.

“When the family confronted the cleric, he initially denied seeing the deceased for over two weeks. However, a community member refuted his claim, stating he had taken Adeleke to the cleric’s house the day before his disappearance.

“The matter was reported to the police, and during interrogation, Ibrahim confessed to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that he had murdered the deceased. He led authorities to the Ilesa/Akure expressway, where Adeleke’s remains were found inside a sack. One of his palms had been severed. Photographic evidence was tendered in court.

“The prosecution called six witnesses and presented several exhibits, including Ibrahim’s extrajudicial confession. It was also revealed that Ibrahim had stolen ₦300,000 from the deceased on August 24, 2016,” the prosecution stated.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the legal representative to the defendant ignored the prosecution’s final written address.

Ibrahim was found guilt of murder and theft and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for stealing and death by hanging for murder.