Teenage housemaid sentenced to death for murder of Senior Lecturer
A High Court 4 sitting in Minna, Niger State, has sentenced Joy Afekafe, a teenage housemaid, to death for her role in the killing of Dr. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a senior lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.
Recall that Adefolalu was murdered on October 28, 2023, at her residence in the Gbaiko area of Minna.
Joy Afekafe, who served as a domestic worker in Adefolalu’s home from October 2, 2023, was found guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide contrary to sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.
According to court records, “Joy Afekafe had served as a domestic worker in the home of the late academic from October 2, 2023. She was introduced to the household by Pastor Ojo Peters of the Voice of Mercy Church, which both the deceased and Joy’s mother attended.”
Joy stole household items and foreign currency, leading to her dismissal.
In retaliation, she conspired with two male friends, DJ Wallex and DJ Smart, who are currently at large, and attacked and killed the lecturer.
Joy, in her confession statement to the Homicide Squad of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), said she and the others jointly killed the lecturer by stabbing her multiple times with knives.
According to her, as the victim tried to fight back using a wooden stool, they overpowered her, seized the stool and struck her on the head, leading to her death.
They subsequently stole two mobile phones, a laptop and foreign currency.
Delivering judgment on July 9, 2025, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He averred, “On the whole and for all the reasons stated in this judgment, I hold that the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Dr. (Mrs.) Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu is dead.
“The death of Dr. (Mrs.) Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu was caused by the convict with her accomplices, now at large, when they used knives to stab her severally and eventually hit her with a wooden stool with the intent to kill her.”
Teenage housemaid sentenced to death for murder of Senior Lecturer
