Court arraigns four in Kwara over alleged murder of 21-year-old graduate

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

A Kwara State Chief Magistrate Court in Ilorin has arraigned four individuals, including a final-year student of Summit University, Offa, Adebayo Happiness, in connection with the alleged murder of Awesu Mojisola, a 21-year-old graduate of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa.

The incident reportedly occurred on August 10, 2024, at a hotel in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. Adebayo Happiness is accused of deceiving Mojisola into attending a fake post-graduation party, which ultimately led to her death.

Also charged alongside Happiness are his parents, Adebayo Adeniyi (51) and Bukola Adeniyi (49), as well as Timileyin Kolawole, a 24-year-old alleged accomplice. The charges brought against them include criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, theft, false personation, causing the disappearance of evidence, and violations related to cybercrime prevention laws.

According to the prosecution, led by ASP Isaac Yakub, the case came to light on August 14, 2024, when Blessing Ogungbenro reported her roommate, Awesu Mojisola, missing at the Offa Police Station. Ogungbenro stated that Mojisola had informed her about receiving a call from Kolawole Timileyin and subsequently from Adebayo Happiness, who invited her to his sign-out party at Whitefield Hotel in Ilorin, promising her a fee of N15,000.

Ogungbenro noted that Mojisola agreed to the invitation and traveled from Offa to Ilorin. She reportedly expressed discomfort to her friends about Happiness smoking hemp in the hotel room where she was lodged. Soon after, Mojisola’s phone became unreachable, and her whereabouts were unknown.

The prosecution revealed that police investigations led to the arrest of Happiness. It was discovered that he had lured Mojisola to Ilorin under the false pretense of attending a joint sign-out party. In the early hours of August 10, 2024, Happiness allegedly killed Mojisola, abandoned her body in the hotel room, and fled with her iPhone 11 Pro and a sum of N15,600.

Further investigations uncovered that Happiness’ mother, Bukola Adeniyi, assisted in concealing the SIM card from Mojisola’s phone in a fence block far from their residence in Offa, while his father, Adebayo Adeniyi, hid the stolen iPhone in a family car parked at their home.

The defense counsel, Mr. A. Iwalaye, requested bail for the suspects, assuring the court that they would not flee and would attend all court proceedings, offering to provide reliable sureties. However, the prosecutor, ASP Yakub, opposed the bail application, citing the gravity of the charges involving the loss of human life.

Chief Magistrate Wahab Saka subsequently ordered the remand of all suspects at the Federal Correctional Center, Oke Kura, Ilorin, and adjourned the case until September 12, 2024, for further hearing.