The Lagos State High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square Annex, has sentenced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Andrew Nice Ominikoron, to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole. The verdict, delivered by Justice Sherifat Sonaike on Friday, marked the end of a high-profile trial that gripped national attention following the tragic death of the young woman in early 2022.
Ominikoron was charged with five counts by the Lagos State Government, including murder, attempted rape, rape, sexual assault, and conspiracy to commit a felony. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges. However, the court found him guilty on four counts and imposed a series of heavy sentences — culminating in the death penalty for the murder of Ayanwole.
A Journey That Ended in Tragedy
The tragic chain of events began on February 26, 2022. Oluwabamise, who worked as a fashion designer, boarded a BRT bus driven by Ominikoron at the Chevron bus stop along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway at about 7 p.m. Concerned by the suspicious behavior of the driver and the fact that the bus was almost empty, she sent a series of WhatsApp voice notes to a friend, describing her fear.
That voice note would later serve as a crucial piece of evidence in the trial. The court admitted it as a “dying declaration,” a legal doctrine under which statements made by victims anticipating their death are considered admissible evidence.
Her body was found nine days later under Carter Bridge, Lagos Island. A post-mortem examination indicated signs of violence.
The Trial and Verdict
During the course of the trial, the prosecution called 11 witnesses, including survivors of similar assaults and experts. The court heard testimonies from two women — Dr. Victoria Anosike and Maryjane Ojiezelu — who alleged that they were also sexually assaulted by the defendant in separate incidents aboard BRT buses.
One of the women, Ojiezelu, testified that she had been raped by Ominikoron inside a BRT vehicle. Although there was no direct medical evidence to confirm penetration, the prosecution presented supporting materials, including torn clothing and a bank transfer of N3,000 from the defendant to the victim allegedly meant for painkillers. This was deemed sufficient by the court to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Sonaike sentenced him to life imprisonment on this count, stating:
“Though there was no direct evidence of penetration, the court finds credibility in the circumstantial evidence provided, including the post-incident bank transfer from the defendant.”
Regarding the charge of sexual assault on Dr. Anosike, the court handed Ominikoron a three-year prison sentence.
For the count of attempted rape of Bamise, which was the third count, the court ruled that while the prosecution failed to prove full rape, the evidence presented, including the victim’s voice note and the forensic analysis of the crime scene, substantiated an attempt to sexually violate her. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on that charge.
For the murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, Justice Sonaike sentenced him to death.
“For the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you,” Justice Sonaike pronounced solemnly in the courtroom, which was filled with emotional onlookers.
However, on the count of conspiracy to commit rape and murder, Ominikoron was discharged and acquitted. The court found that the prosecution did not provide enough evidence to prove he acted in concert with others, despite the defendant’s own claim during his testimony that three men boarded the bus and attacked him.
Judge Rejects Ominikoron’s Defense
In his defence, Ominikoron claimed that after picking up Bamise, he stopped at Agungi and allowed three male passengers to board. He alleged that one of the men moved towards him under the pretense of paying the fare but suddenly hit him on the head and pulled out a gun. According to him, he was forced to cooperate under threat.
The court dismissed his explanation as lacking credibility. Justice Sonaike described the story as “a fabricated narrative lacking any verifiable evidence or witnesses.”
She further remarked:
“The doctrine of last seen places the burden on the defendant to explain what happened to the deceased, who was last seen alive in his custody. His failure to provide a coherent or truthful account of the events that led to her death further implicates him.”
“The only writer and author of the death of the deceased is Andrew Nice Ominikoron,” she concluded.
Justice Sonaike also condemned the broader implications of the case, saying: “The defendant abused the trust bestowed upon him as a government-employed public transport driver. He used that position to create an environment to have non-consensual sexual intercourse with innocent young girls and women. The court cannot overlook the grievous breach of public trust.”
