By Gbenga Olarinoye

OSOGBO—An Osun State High Court, sitting in Osogbo, yesterday, sentenced Richard Abayomi Adesanmi, the prime suspect in the June 14, 2007 bomb blast that rocked the premises of the state secretariat, Abeere, Osogbo, where one person was killed, to death by hanging.

Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, in his judgement convicted Adesanmi on all the six count charge of murder and conspiracy to effect unlawful purpose preferred against him.

Delivering his judgement, Justice Aderibigbe said: “Richard Abayomi Adesanmi is sentenced to death for murder by hanging on his neck till he gives up the ghost.”

Aderibigbe had earlier, while ruling on the first 5 count of the charge, pronounced Adesanmi guilty of act intended to cause grievous harm contrary to section 332 (3) of criminal code of Osun State and perpetration to commit crime with explosive contrary to section 514 of criminal code of Osun State.

He subsequently slammed a combined sentence of 40 years jail term with no option of fine on Adesanmi for the first 5 count.

Adesanmi, who immediately looked down as the judge passed the verdict was in tears as the prison officials led him out of the court.

The prosecution was led by the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Afolabi and Mr. Dapo Adeniji, the Director of Public Prosecution, while Mr. Wilson Atirene represented the accused person.

It will be recalled that an explosion which occurred in a Peugeot 504 saloon car with number plate AL 850 NND parked near Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, had killed one of the occupants of the vehicle simply identified as Taye while injuring Adesanmi leading to the loss of one of his eyes.

Other two occupants of the vehicle, one Henry and Gboyega Olasogba, however, escaped from the scene and have remained at large since then.

After the incident, Adesanmi, who claimed to be an indigene of Ondo, was immediately taken to the Government House clinic where he was treated for the injuries he sustained in his eyes.

During the investigation, police confirmed that Improvised Explosive Device, IED, was the substance that exploded in the vehicle on the day of the incident, adding that materials that could be used to make explosives were also recovered from the vehicle driven by one of the accused persons.