Woman Sentenced to Prison for Killing Husband in Ekiti State

On September 16, 2020, Janet Jegede (36) was brought before Justice Bamidele Omotoso of the Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on one count charge of murder. The charge alleged that on November 17, 2019, Jegede had killed her husband, Jegede Kayode, in Ado Ekiti. The stepson, Jegede Ayomide, testified that his stepmother had threatened to kill his father and he had taken it as an empty threat until she actually did so. The prosecutor, Olowoyo-Richard Ayobami, presented five witnesses and various exhibits to prove the case.

The defense counsel, Emmanuel Adedeji, argued that the defendant was mentally imbalanced at the time of the incident and urged the court to discharge and acquit her on the ground of insanity. In his judgment, Justice Bamidele Omotoso ordered that Jegede be kept in custody as a criminal lunatic at the Correctional Centre, Afao Road, Ado Ekiti until the governor’s pleasure be known in line with Section 223 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2011.