Court convicts three for ritual murder of 16-year-old girl
An Ogun State High Court on Friday convicted and sentenced three young men for the gruesome ritual killing of 16-year-old girl, Sofia Okeowo in the Kugba area of Abeokuta South Local Government.
The convicts — Mustakeem Balogun, Soliudeen Majekodunmi, and Lukmon Abdulgafar — were found guilty of murdering Sofia on January 28, 2022, in a case that shocked the nation.
According to court proceedings, Sofia had gone to visit her boyfriend, Mustakeem, who, along with Soliudeen, strangled her during a sexual encounter.
They then beheaded her, cut off parts of her thighs, and stuffed her headless body into a sack. The head was taken to Lukmon’s house, where it was burnt using a local burner as part of a ritual.
The horrific crime came to public attention after a viral video showed the trio being apprehended by community guards while burning Sofia’s head and chanting incantations.
Delivering judgment, the court sentenced Mustakeem and Soliudeen to death by hanging, while Lukmon was handed a life imprisonment sentence.
Reacting to the ruling, Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, described the conviction as a significant victory for justice and a step towards restoring public confidence.
“Ogun State has won this case, and the convicts have been conclusively excluded from civilized society for the considerable future,” he stated. “We are grateful for the closure this judgment provides to Sofia’s family. I commend our prosecutors who, despite challenges, secured justice.”
Ogungbade reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to justice and warned young people against seeking wealth through rituals.
