Court sentence teenage girl who killed female lecturer to life imprisonment

A 16-year-old girl, Miss Joy Afekafe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of culpable homicide and armed robbery in connection with the death of Dr. Mrs. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.

Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court No. 4 delivered the verdict, stating that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Joy and her accomplices were responsible for the brutal killing of Dr. Adefolalu at her Gbaiko residence on October 28, 2023.

The Principal State Counsel from the Niger State Ministry of Justice brought two charges—culpable homicide and armed robbery—both punishable under Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.

According to court proceedings, Joy had been employed as a housemaid by the deceased on October 2, 2023.

She was introduced to the household by Pastor Ojo Peters of the Voice of Mercy Church, Minna, which both the victim and Joy’s mother attended.

After being caught stealing money and valuables, Joy was dismissed.

In retaliation, she recruited two accomplices—identified as DJ Wallex and DJ Smart—to carry out the attack. The accomplices are currently at large.

In her confession to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Joy recounted how her friends stabbed the lecturer multiple times.

As the victim tried to fight back with a stool, they overpowered her and used the same stool to strike her head, killing her instantly.

They then made away with mobile phones, a laptop, and foreign currency from her room.

Delivering a judgement that lasted over two hours, Justice Mohammed ruled that the evidence clearly established Joy’s involvement in the crime, both as a participant and instigator.

“I hold that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Dr. Adefolalu is dead and that her death was caused by the convict and her friends, who stabbed and later struck her fatally with a wooden stool,” the judge stated.

Although Joy is 16 years old, the court considered her age at the time of the crime—14 years—when determining her sentence.

Justice Mohammed noted that under Section 221 of the Penal Code, the death penalty cannot be applied to minors. Instead, the law mandates life imprisonment or other custodial measures.

Consequently, Joy was sentenced to life in a custodial facility for culpable homicide and an additional 10 years for armed robbery.