Justice Serifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court 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.
Delivering judgment on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Square High Court, Justice Sonaike ruled that the Lagos State government had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that Ominikoron was responsible for the February 26, 2022 killing.
“For the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you,” the judge pronounced in a verdict that spanned over two hours.
The court, while noting the absence of direct eyewitnesses, relied on strong circumstantial evidence—including expert testimony from a pathologist and a dying declaration from the victim. The judge concluded that the evidence pointed conclusively to Ominikoron as the last person seen with Ayanwole.
In a separate count, Ominikoron was also convicted of the 2021 rape of another passenger, 29-year-old Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu. The court heard testimony from the survivor and another woman, alongside a chilling voice note Bamise recorded before her death, indicating she did not consent to sex with the driver.
While the court did not find sufficient forensic evidence to uphold a rape charge in Bamise’s case, Ominikoron was convicted of attempted rape. However, he was acquitted on the conspiracy charge due to lack of sufficient proof.
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions had arraigned the driver on a four-count charge—murder, conspiracy, and two counts of rape—under the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Ominikoron pleaded not guilty throughout the proceedings.
The high-profile case sparked nationwide outrage in 2022 and raised significant concerns about safety on Lagos BRT buses.
