The Akure Division of the Ondo State High Court has sentenced a middle-aged man, identified as Sunday Omoniyi, to death by hanging.

The court delivered the verdict on Tuesday after finding Mr Omoniyi guilty of stabbing his roommate, Michael Oyebanji, to death during a fight over shutting a door.

The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge of murder.

A witness in the case, Ismaila Adefaka, told the court that both the convict and the deceased were his tenants.

According to Mr Adefaka, the incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on July 23, 2022, at No. 4, Canaanland, Ijoka Road, in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

He said he suddenly heard strange noises and traced the uproar to the convict’s room, where he found the deceased in a pool of blood.

Mr Adefaka added that the deceased was stabbed in the chest by the convict, noting that he lodged a formal complaint with the police, after which Mr Oyebanji was confirmed dead at the hospital.

Two co-tenants in the building, Gift Adedeji and Opeyemi Adedugbe, told the court in their separate testimonies that the convict and the deceased had argued over shutting the door, but the matter was eventually resolved between them.

They stated that after leaving the room, they suddenly heard the deceased’s voice again and rushed back, only to find him lying in a pool of blood, while the convict stood with a bloodstained knife in his hand.

Police prosecutor, Fisayo Oladepo, told the court that the convict confessed in his statement to committing the crime shortly after his arrest.

Mr Oladepo added that the offence was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

Ruling on the case, Justice Williams Rotimi Olamide said the prosecution had successfully proved the charge of murder against Mr Omoniyi.

He consequently sentenced him to death by hanging.