Justice has finally been delivered in the heartbreaking case of 22-year-old Bamise Ayanwola, a young fashion designer who went missing after boarding a Lagos BRT bus.
On Friday, the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square sentenced the bus driver, Andrew Nice Ominikoron, to death by hanging.
The judgment came more than two years after Bamise’s tragic death, which sparked public outrage and widespread calls for justice.
She had boarded the bus at the Ajah axis on February 26, 2022, and was last seen alive that night.
Her lifeless body was later discovered nine days after her disappearance, dumped on Carter Bridge, Lagos Island.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike, who delivered the ruling, declared that the prosecution had successfully proven its case.
“The prosecution relied on the doctrine of last seen and the victim’s dying declaration to establish Ominikoron’s guilt,” she said.
Ominikoron was arraigned on a five-count charge, which included conspiracy to commit felony, rape, murder, and sexual assault.
His conviction was welcomed by many who followed the case closely, and it was seen as a strong message to others who might think they can get away with violent crimes.
Moreover, the judge’s ruling was widely viewed as a victory for justice, not only for Bamise’s grieving family but also for the public.
