In a recent ruling, the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square sentenced Benjamin Ogundero to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his wife, Chinyere Ogundero, and brother-in-law, Ifeanyi Joseph, in April 2022, Eko Hot Blog reports.
The presiding judge, Justice Sonaike, found Ogundero guilty of both arson and murder after he set the victims on fire while they were asleep in their Abule Ado residence following a heated domestic dispute.
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Justice Sonaike delivered the judgment, asserting that the prosecution successfully established Ogundero’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court concluded that Ogundero had intentionally planned and executed the vicious attack on the victims.
Condemning the crime as “wickedness of the highest order,” Justice Sonaike remarked that such an atrocious act represents one of the most deplorable offenses a person can commit.
During the court proceedings, Justice Sonaike emphasized that the evidence presented proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ogundero committed the heinous act.
“He devised, prepared, and executed the act. This is wickedness of the highest order,” the judge stated, condemning the defendant’s actions as one of the worst a person could inflict upon another.”
In addition to the death sentence, Benjamin Ogundero received a life imprisonment term for arson, which will commence from the date of his conviction.
This verdict was reached after the prosecution, headed by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mr. Martins Babajide, presented a strong case outlining Ogundero’s motive for the heinous crime.
The prosecution argued that Ogundero’s anger over his wife Chinyere owning the house they lived in – which she acquired during her banking career – was a primary factor driving him to commit the gruesome murders.
Witnesses described the horrifying crime scene, with one recounting how Chinyere’s body was so severely burned that her limbs fell off.
The other victim, Ifeanyi Joseph, tragically died from severe burns that stopped his body’s blood circulation.
Further evidence of Ogundero’s involvement emerged from a neighbour’s testimony, who claimed to have seen him fleeing the burning house while carrying a fuel gallon.
Throughout the trial, the court observed no signs of remorse from Benjamin Ogundero, reinforcing the conclusion that he acted willfully and maliciously in committing these atrocious acts against the victims.
