By TUNDE OYEKOLA

A relation of Omowumi Olajide, the murdered student of the University of Ilorin, Mrs Stowe Opeyemi, said the deceased was stripped naked and her hands tied by her assailants before she was killed.

Testifying at the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, on Tuesday, Opeyemi narrated how the victim’s naked corpse was found in a sitting room in the Tanke area of Ilorin.

She sobbed intermittently while giving her evidence and during cross examination in court.

The late Olajide was robbed, raped and murdered on June 2, 2021.

The eight accused persons are Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Oluwatimileyin (aka Jacklord), Oyeyemi Omogbolahan, Abdulkarim Shuaib (aka Easy), Kareem Rasheed (Rashworld), Abdullateef Abdulrahman, Daud Adebayo (aka Bashman) and Akande Oladoja.

Opeyemi, who claimed that the late Olajide was her second cousin, told the court that the deceased was living with one Dr Dupe Shittu.

She noted that Shittu became suspicious when the victim’s phone number was not reachable.

Opeyemi said, “Dr Shittu called me on that day that Omowumi’s phone number was not reachable. There and then, two of Dr Shittu’s kids and I went to their house. When we got there, we tried to open the sitting room; it seemed to have been locked from inside. Then we went back to our mother’s house, which is on the same street. From there, Dr Shittu with her kids and I came back with a carpenter, who broke the door open.

“When the door was opened, we saw the lifeless body of Wumi (Olajide) on the floor with her face up and her two legs widely opened. Her neck was tied with a towel soaked in blood. Her pants were also by her side. A wrapper was tied round her neck. We also found a knife on one of the chairs in the sitting room. There was equally a bloodstained pillow beside her body.

“A sheet of paper with an inscription of ‘No forgiveness from University of Ilorin’ was placed on her stomach too, while her school identity card was also beside her. Her two hands were tied behind her back. Thereafter, we all rushed out of the sitting room. Then, Dr Shittu went to report the incident at the police station in the same Tanke area.”

An attempt by the prosecution, led by the state Attorney General and

Commissioner for Justice, Salman Jawondo, to present photographs of the deceased and some documents as exhibits was initially opposed by the defence counsel.

But the presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Yusuf, overruled the objection.

The case was adjourned till Monday, July 19, 2021, for continuation of hearing. (The PUNCH)

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