Philip Segun, a prophet of the Cherubim and Cherabum Church, Solution Chapel in Ikoyi-Ile, has been sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Christiana Obadina of the Osun State High Court in Ikire.
The court also sentenced Owolabi Adeeko, the boyfriend of the late Lagos State University final year student, Favour Daley-Oladele, to death by hanging for his involvement in her brutal murder. In addition, Owolabi’s mother, Bola, was convicted for cannibalism.
Owolabi, 23, had deceived Favour into visiting Ikire from Lagos under the pretext of meeting his uncle. Unbeknownst to her, Owolabi, his mother, and Prophet Segun had conspired to use her for a money ritual. Favour was subsequently murdered in the church, where Owolabi struck her on the head with a pestle. Her organs were used for the ritual, and her remains were buried in a shallow grave outside the church on December 8, 2019.
The police later exhumed Favour’s body and arrested the suspects, who confessed to the crime. They were initially arraigned on November 15, 2021, facing charges of conspiracy and murder under sections 324 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State, 2002.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Mrs. Adekemi Bello from the Ministry of Justice, presented nine witnesses, including the investigating officer, and submitted various exhibits. The convicts testified in their defense without calling any additional witnesses.
In her verdict, Justice Obadina determined that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She found Prophet Philip Segun and Owolabi Adeeko guilty of murder and conspiracy, while Bola Adeeko was convicted of cannibalism, which is in violation of the law.
During the allocution plea, the defense counsel, Adeshina Olaniyan, appealed to the court for leniency.
Consequently, the presiding judge sentenced Prophet Philip and Owolabi to death by hanging for murder and 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy. Bola, Owolabi’s mother, received a two-year prison term for cannibalism.
Following his arrest, Owolabi confessed to using his girlfriend to prepare a ritual meal called “victory soup” for himself and his mother in pursuit of money ritual.
