Three years after the gruesome murder of 16-year-old Sofiat Okeowo for ritual purposes, justice has finally been served as an Ogun State High Court sentenced her killers to death by hanging and life imprisonment.
Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of the Ogun State High Court on Friday, July 11, 2025, found Mustakeem Balogun and Soliudeen Majekodunmi guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging, while their accomplice, Lukman Abdulgafar, received a life sentence for their roles in the ritual killing.
The Tragic Incident
The victim, a fashion designer and bread seller, had gone to visit her 18-year-old boyfriend, Majekodunmi Soliudeen, in the Oke-Aregba, Kugba area of Abeokuta on that fateful Friday evening. Unknown to her, it would be her last day alive.
According to investigations, Soliudeen, with the help of his friend Balogun Mustakeem, strangled and beheaded Sofiat after having sexual intercourse with her. They cut parts of her thighs, stuffed her headless body into a sack, and took her head to Abdulgafar Lukmon's house where they burned it in a local burner while chanting incantations.
The culprits, who claimed they only needed her head for a money ritual, were apprehended while in the act. They were identified as 18-year-old Majekodunmi Soliudeen, 20-year-old Balogun Mustakeem, 19-year-old Abdulgafar Lukman, and 17-year-old Waris Oladeinde.
The Investigation and Legal Process
Investigations revealed that Sofiat had previously dated Mustakeem before their relationship ended in September 2021 due to family objections. Mustakeem later introduced her to his friend Majekodunmi in December of the same year. Tragically, this new relationship lasted less than two months before ending in her murder.
The four suspects were initially arraigned on February 3, 2022, at the Abeokuta Magistrates' Court on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit a felony and murder. However, in March 2022, the court released 17-year-old Waris Oladehinde based on legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution, as evidence showed he only walked in after the crime had been committed.
Justice at Last
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, expressed gratitude that justice was finally served and appreciated the prosecutors at the Ministry of Justice who secured the conviction despite challenges.
"Today, July 11, 2025, the trio of Mustakeem Balogun, Soliudeen Majekodunmi, and Lukmon Abdulgafar face the full wrath of the law over the gruesome killing of Sofia Okeowo," Ogungbade stated.
"We are grateful for the closure that we have been able to provide Sofia's family. I am incredibly proud of the prosecutors at the Ministry of Justice who secure justice despite challenges," he added.
The commissioner urged youths to prioritize education and skills instead of resorting to money rituals, warning that anyone found engaging in such acts would face the full wrath of the law.
"This is a call to the public to return to our traditional values of hard work, disdain for crime, and collective responsibility for instruction and correction. However, as today's verdict shows, whether the society discharges this duty or not, the Ministry of Justice stands ready to hold offenders to account," he concluded.
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