Man sentenced to death for killing wife and brother-in-Law in Lagos

A High Court in Lagos, Nigeria, presided over by Justice Sherifat Sonaike at Tafawa Balewa Square, has sentenced Benjamin Ogundero to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his wife, Chinyere Ogundero, and her brother, Ifeanyi Joseph, in April 2022.

The court found Ogundero guilty of setting both victims on fire while they slept in their home in Abule Ado, Lagos, following a heated domestic dispute.

Delivering the judgment on Thursday, February 27, 2025, Justice Sonaike ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Ogundero deliberately planned and executed the attack.

Describing the act as “wickedness of the highest order,” the judge condemned his actions as one of the most heinous crimes a person could commit.

The prosecution team, led by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mr. Martins Babajide, argued that Ogundero’s anger stemmed from the fact that his wife owned the house they lived in, which she had purchased while working in the banking sector.

This anger, the prosecution claimed, was a key factor in his decision to commit the crime.

Witnesses described the horrific scene, with one testifying that Chinyere’s body was so badly burned that her limbs fell off. Ifeanyi Joseph died from severe burns that caused his body to stop circulating blood.

Diaspora Digital Media gathered that a neighbor also testified to seeing Ogundero fleeing the burning house with a fuel gallon, further solidifying his involvement in the crime.

Throughout the trial, Ogundero showed no remorse for his actions. Justice Sonaike stated that the evidence clearly demonstrated his guilt, and he deserved the maximum punishment. The court found him guilty on four counts of murder and arson.

“For the charge of murder, Benjamin Ogundero, the sentence of this court is that you shall be hanged by the neck until you die,” Justice Sonaike ruled.

For the charge of arson, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment, effective from the date of his conviction.

Ogundero, 50, was arraigned on December 7, 2022, on a four-count charge of murder by the Lagos State Government.

He was accused of killing his wife, Chinyere, who had recently returned from Scotland, and her brother, Ifeanyi, by setting them ablaze.

The incident occurred on April 1, 2022, around 3:30 a.m., at House 5, Zone 7, Oteyi Garden Estate, Abule Ado, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State.

The prosecution alleged that Ogundero poured petrol on his wife, her brother, and their mattress before setting them on fire while they slept, leading to their deaths.

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