Justice Sonaike convicts Andrew Nice Ominikoron based on “last seen” doctrine and victim’s dying declaration
The Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced a BRT driver to death for killing Bamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer whose disappearance and murder in 2022 sparked nationwide outrage.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike, who delivered the judgment on Friday, held that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court relied on the doctrine of “last seen” and the dying declaration of the victim to convict the BRT driver, Andrew Nice Ominikoron.
The court found Ominikoron guilty on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony, rape, murder, and sexual assault. The judge emphasized that the BRT driver sentenced to death for killing Bamise had a duty to explain what happened after she boarded his vehicle, which he failed to do credibly.
Bamise Ayanwola was last seen on February 26, 2022, after boarding a Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle driven by Ominikoron at the Ajah axis. Her sudden disappearance led to widespread public concern and protests demanding urgent action from the authorities.
Read Also: FBI, DEA Seek 90-Day Extension to Release Records in FOIA Litigation Against Bola Tinubu
Her lifeless body was discovered nine days later under Carter Bridge on Lagos Island, deepening public grief and sparking intense demands for justice. The judge noted that the BRT driver was identified through forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and the victim’s own recorded statements before her death.
Civil society organizations, women’s rights groups, and members of the public have hailed the court’s decision as a crucial step in restoring faith in the justice system. Many have also called for urgent reforms in the recruitment and monitoring processes of BRT drivers to ensure commuter safety.
With the BRT driver sentenced to death for killing Bamise, Lagos authorities face increased pressure to review the BRT security framework and prevent such tragedies in the future.
