The Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has deferred judgment in the case of Andrew Ominikoron, the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) driver accused of the rape and murder of his passenger, Bamise Ayanwola. After the final submissions were presented by both the defense and prosecution teams, Justice Sherifat Sonaike set the judgment date for May 2, 2025.
Ominikoron, 47, has been on trial since March 2022, facing charges of rape, conspiracy, sexual assault, murder, and felony. The prosecution claims that on February 26, 2022, Ominikoron, in collaboration with others now at large, sexually assaulted and killed Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer. Authorities assert that the accused threw Ayanwola from his moving bus between the Lekki-Ajah Expressway and Carter Bridge, leading to her death.
The prosecution also presented evidence accusing Ominikoron of the rape of Maryjane Odezulu, 29, in a separate incident on November 25, 2021, at the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Centre.
Despite these serious charges, Ominikoron has denied all accusations, claiming that three male passengers who boarded his bus after official hours were the ones who raped and discarded Ayanwola’s body from the vehicle.
During the defense’s closing arguments, Abayomi Omotubora, Ominikoron’s lawyer, argued that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove Ominikoron’s involvement in Ayanwola’s death. He contended that the case only proved that Ayanwola died, but did not establish that the defendant’s actions led to her death. Omotubora also questioned the credibility of the witnesses and claimed that the prosecution had not brought forward any of the other alleged victims of Ominikoron’s purported sexual offenses.
On the other hand, Babajide Martins, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), urged the court to consider the weight of the evidence presented. He emphasized that the defendant was the last person seen with Ayanwola before her death and fled the scene afterward. Martins also cited a voice note Ayanwola sent to a friend, where she expressed fears for her safety, arguing that it should be taken into account as part of the evidence under Section 34 of the Evidence Act.
Having heard the final submissions, Justice Sonaike adjourned the case and set May 20th 2025, to deliver judgment.
