How my father was hacked to death - 16-year-old tells court

A 16-year-old boy, Adeola Okanlawon, on Tuesday, narrated before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of a Lagos High Court, in Igbosere, how his father, Bashorun Okanlawon, was hacked to death by their neighbour, following a dispute over generator fume.

The boy, while being led in evidence by the Lagos State ‎Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, said the neighbour, Ibrahim Tijani, chopped his late father's leg and left hand with a cutlass, which he snatched from a food vendor. The witness said all his plea to Tijani to spare his father’s life fell on deaf ears.

According to him, his late father had complained to Tijani about the smoke from his generator, but he refused to do anything about it.

He said a fight later broke out between the duo, but an Islamic cleric made attempts to reconcile them.

Adeola added that it was on their way home after the cleric’s intervention that Tijani attacked his father.

The police officer that investigated the case, Sergeant David Abu, in his testimony, stated that at about 2:13am on the day of the incident, a bleeding Tijani came to report a case of assault at the Apongbon Police Division.

He said he was however shocked to see Tijani’s lifeless body with his neighbours in a tricycle about 10 minutes after he lodged the complaint.

Abu said: “In my investigation review, on February 8, 2015, the defendant and the deceased were living in the same uncompleted building at Okun, Ajah. The deceased complained to the defendant to adjust his generator as the smoke from the generator was entering his room.

“The deceased also complained to a cleric, who owns a block industry, following which the cleric sent for the defendant and reconciled the duo.

“On their way home from the Alfa’s place, the defendant picked a machete from a food vendor’s place and started chasing the deceased who tripped on a block and fell, following which the deceased was attacked by Tijani.

“Tijani started cutting the deceased. He cut his left hand, leg and waist. When the son of the deceased, one, Adeola Okanlawon, started shouting ‘don’t kill my father,’ he started chasing the boy who later hid behind a cashew tree.  When the defendant saw that the deceased could no longer move, he picked up a bottle and stabbed himself on the left arm and ran to the police station to make a report of assault.”

Another witness, Inspector John Babalola, while confirming the incident, also disclosed that the case was also investigated by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti-Yaba.

He also identified the cutlass allegedly used in killing the deceased that was recovered from the crime scene. The cutlass was later admitted as an exhibit by the court.

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned to November 1.

Tijani (31) was first arraigned before the court by the Lagos State Government on January 21, 2016, on a one-count charge of murder.  

The defendant who resides in an uncompleted building with the deceased at Okun in Ajah area of Lagos however denied the charge.

The offence which was allegedly committed on February 8, 2015, at about 2:30 am is punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.