Bayelsa Court sentences four men to death over murder of Taxi driver

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced four men to death by hanging over the murder of a taxi driver, Mr. Olarenwaju Ajayi, during a trip to Onne, Rivers State.

The judgment was delivered on Thursday, July 10, 2025, by Hon. Justice Patience Ama Zuofa Diri at High Court 11 in Onopa, Yenagoa.

The convicted men — Sunday Imoh Essien, Opena Akpabio, Odogha Ebi, and Clifford Michael — were found guilty on charges of conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder.

According to court findings, the convicts had chartered the services of Mr. Ajayi, a commercial taxi driver plying the Yenagoa to Port Harcourt route, under the pretense of attending a naval program in Onne.

Tragically, the journey turned deadly at Okogbe in Rivers State when, under the excuse of stopping to relieve himself, one of the convicts, Sunday Imoh, asked the driver to halt.

As soon as the car stopped, the other passengers attacked Mr. Ajayi, strangling him with a marine rope and stabbing him to death.

After killing the driver, the men disposed of his body and fled with the stolen vehicle to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where they sold it for N450,000.

Reacting to the verdict, the Bayelsa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Biriyai Dambo, SAN, commended the judgment, reaffirming the state government’s firm stance against crime.

He stated that the ruling reflects the administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward violent crimes and commitment to ensuring justice for victims and their families.

The case has since drawn widespread reactions, with many lauding the court for delivering justice and setting a stern example against heinous acts such as armed robbery and murder.