A teenage girl has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a university lecturer in Minna.
The court found her guilty of murder and robbery, committed alongside two still-missing suspects.
A 16-year-old girl, Joy Afekafe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for her role in the killing of Dr. Mrs. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State.
Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court No. 4 delivered the judgment on Wednesday, finding the teenager guilty of culpable homicide and armed robbery, offences punishable under Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.
According to court records, the tragic incident occurred on October 28, 2023, at Dr. Adefolalu’s residence in the Gbaiko area of Minna. Joy had been employed as a housemaid by the lecturer earlier that month, having been introduced by Pastor Ojo Peters of the Voice of Mercy Church, which both Joy’s mother and the deceased attended.
However, Joy’s employment was short-lived. She was reportedly caught stealing household property and foreign currency, prompting Dr. Adefolalu to terminate her services.
Following her dismissal, Joy conspired with two acquaintances identified as DJ Wallex and DJ Smart to exact revenge. In a confession to the Homicide Squad of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Niger State Police Command, Joy admitted that she and her friends returned to the residence and attacked the lecturer.
The court heard that the group stabbed Dr. Adefolalu several times with knives. When she attempted to defend herself using a wooden stool, they overpowered her, seized the stool, and struck her fatally on the head. They then stole two phones, a laptop, and some foreign currency before fleeing the scene. Her two accomplices are still at large.
In a judgment that spanned over two hours, Justice Mohammed ruled that the prosecution, represented by the Principal State Counsel from the Attorney General’s office, had proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
“The prosecution has shown that Dr. Adefolalu is deceased and that her death was caused by the convict, acting in concert with others now at large, using knives and a stool with the intent to kill,” the judge stated.
Although Joy is now 16 years old, she was only 14 when the crime was committed. The judge noted that under Section 221 of the Penal Code, the death penalty cannot be applied to individuals under 18. Instead, the law provides for a life custodial sentence or other appropriate punishment.
Justice Mohammed therefore sentenced Joy Afekafe to life in a custodial facility for the offence of culpable homicide and an additional 10 years for armed robbery.
