A high court sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, sentenced a retired Colonel, Oguboyo Richard to twenty five years imprisonment without option of fine. Ogunboyo, was charged for murder; he was alleged to have murdered one Felix Esan on the 15th of December 2016.

Ogunboyo, who was the head of vigilante group in Iyin-Ekiti at that time, left in company of some members of the group around 9.30PM for the compound of the deceased at No. 1 Alaafia House, Iyin to fish out a suspected thief.

The convict was said to have confronted Felix of being disrespectful and thus shot him in the presence of his friends in the room.

After the deceased was shot, the retired Colonel and members of the group with him allegedly ordered all other friends of the victim out of the house to a place where they were kept till the following morning for baseless offences.

On getting back to the compound in the following morning after their alleged illegal detection, the friends of the deceased said he could not be found whether dead or alive.

In an effort to uncover the mystery surrounding the incident, a search party led by Omo Edema was launched from Mercy-Babs Communications which led to the discovery of the decaying body of Felix about two weeks later in a pit in the bush along Awo road, Iyin-Ekiti. 

In his judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said the case of murder against the convict could not be substantiated, but a case of manslaughter and therefore sentenced the 81-year-old retired military man to twenty five years in jail for killing Felix Esan.

“Considering his age and the discretion of the court, he is hereby sentenced to 25 years imprisonment without an option of fine,” Ogunmoye ruled.