Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on Friday sentenced the duo of Mustakeem Balogun and Soliudeen Majekodunmi to death by hanging.
At the same time, Lukmon Abdulgafar bagged life imprisonment over the murder of 16-year-old Sofia Okeowo at Kugba area, Abeokuta, on January 28, 2022.
The state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Friday.
Recall that Sofia had gone to visit her boyfriend, Mustakeem, who had sexual intercourse with her, after which he was said to have viciously attacked and strangled the deceased with the support of Soliudeen and then beheaded her.
They subsequently cut parts of Sofia’s thighs and stuffed her headless body into a sack, after which the deceased’s head was taken to Lukmon’s house to be burnt with a local burner.
In a viral video that surfaced on the internet in January 2022, the trio were caught by community guards with Sofia’s head burning in the local burner.
They were also seen reciting incantations over her corpse.
The commissioner’s statement read, “Today, July 11, 2025, the trio of Mustakeem Balogun, Soliudeen Majekodunmi, and Lukmon
Abdulgafar faces the full wrath of the law over the gruesome killing of Sofia Okeowo.
“The dastardly act which occurred on January 28th 2022, around Kugba, Abeokuta saw Mustakeem Balogun lure 16-year-old Sofia to have canal knowledge of her and later kill her in preparation for a premeditated money ritual charms.
“The two other culprits are Soliudeen Majekodunmi and Lukman Abdulgafar.
“Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of the Ogun State High Court has, however, found the trio guilty of the crime committed and has therefore sentenced Mustakeem Balogun and Soliudeen Majekodunmi to death by hanging while Lukman Abdulgafar received a life sentence.”
The commissioner further stated that the present administration does not allow crime to thrive, prompting the state to secure the conviction of the three criminals, which will serve as a deterrent to other ritualists.
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