Court Sentences BRT Driver Andrew Ominikoron To Death For Killing Bamise Ayanwola

A Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square has sentenced Andrew Ominikoron, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Bamise Ayanwola.

Justice Serifat Sonaike delivered the judgment, which lasted over two and a half hours, ruling that the Lagos State Government had convincingly proven that Ominikoron was responsible for the young woman’s death.

The judge declared, “that for the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon you.”

Though there were no eyewitnesses to the crime, the court relied on circumstantial evidence, including expert testimony from a pathologist and a voice message Bamise sent shortly before her death.

These pointed to the fact that Ominikoron was the last person seen with her before her tragic death on February 26, 2022.

The court also found him guilty of raping another passenger, 29-year-old Nneka Maryjane Ozezulu, in November 2021.

According to the court, this wasn’t an isolated case — Ominikoron had a pattern of targeting female passengers, as confirmed by past victims and the voice message Bamise sent before she died.

Although the court could not confirm through medical evidence that Bamise was raped — no signs of penetration or semen were found — the judge concluded there was a clear attempt to sexually assault her.

As a result, Ominikoron was convicted of attempted rape, not rape.

He was, however, cleared of conspiracy charges, as the prosecution did not provide enough proof to support that claim.

The prosecution, led by Lagos State’s Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, urged the court to hand down the maximum punishment.

Ominikoron’s lawyer, Abayomi Omotubora, asked for leniency, but the court chose to impose the death penalty.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2022, a medical doctor, Onyinyechi Victoria Anoke also narrated her encounter Andrew Nice Ominikoron who was arrested by the police over the death of Bamise Ayanwole.