A Lagos High Court has sentenced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Ominikoron, to death by hanging for the 2022 rape and murder of 22-year-old Oluwabamise Ayanwola, following a high-profile trial that exposed serious lapses in the state-run transport system.
Delivering judgment on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Justice Sherifat Sonaike found Ominikoron guilty on all five counts, including rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and murder, stating that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“You will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul,” the judge declared.
Justice Sonaike labelled Ominikoron a “serial rapist,” pointing to similar assaults against two other women who boarded his bus, and warned that his pattern of luring unsuspecting passengers was a clear danger to the public.
“The defendant used his employment to rape unsuspecting passengers. This is an unforgivable crime,” she said, adding that the case should prompt an overhaul in recruitment processes for commercial drivers.
The court handed Ominikoron a life sentence for the rape of one Nneka Udezulu, 14 years for the attempted rape of Ayanwola, and three years for sexually assaulting Dr. Victoria Anosike.
Reacting to the verdict, Ayanwola’s elder sister, Onapemipo Damilola, expressed satisfaction with the ruling but urged authorities to go further. “The accomplices in the matter should be provided,” she demanded, emphasising the need for broader accountability.
She also commended the judge, saying, “The judgment was accurate. We thank her so much. She deserves to be praised.”
No compensation has yet been offered by the Lagos State Government, Damilola added.