Breaking: New Twist as Timileyin Ajayi Pleads Not Guilty To Salome Adaidu’s Murder
- The high court of justice in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state, has arraigned Timileyin Ajayi, the man alleged to have killed Salome Adaidu
- Ajayi was arraigned on Monday, January 27, before Justice Simon Aboki in Lafia, Nasarawa state, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge during an arraignment
- Ajayi was accused of one count of culpable killing, which carries a death sentence in northern Nigeria’s penal code section 221
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.
Uke, Nasarawa state - Timileyin Ajayi, the suspected killer of Salome Adaidu, was on Monday, January 27, arraigned at the high court of justice, Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital.
Ajayi, a purported gospel singer, was charged before Justice Simon Aboki with one count of culpable killing, an offence punishable by death.
Source: Instagram
As reported by Channels Television, upon arraignment, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the murder allegation.
Recall the 32-year-old was apprehended for the murder of a lady, Adaidu, a 24-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who served at Nicon Insurance in the nation’s capital, Abuja, before her painful death.
Salome was allegedly murdered by the suspect at his house in the Papalana axis at New Karshi in Karu local government area (LGA) of Nasarawa state. The slain NYSC member's head was reportedly found in Ajayi's possession.
The police had paraded Ajayi alongside the knife and machetes he used to commit the crime.
During several press interviews, Ajayi confessed to the murder but claimed that the late corps member was his girlfriend - a narrative disputed by the Adaidu family who insisted that their daughter was kidnapped and brutally killed.
Nigerians react to Timileyin Ajayi's plea
Meanwhile, Nigerians are sharing their thoughts following the seeming retraction by Ajayi. Legit.ng captured some comments from X (formerly Twitter) below:
@ArikDave wrote:
"In that case, if he has committed a crime like murder, confessed publicly, and then pleaded not guilty, it's possible that his mental state or legal strategy might be called into question.
"It's unclear what motivated him to change his plea."
@GopalGopaldass commented:
"He's Stalling, He's Buying Time, Hoping His Benefactors Or Handlers, The Person Or People, The Syndicate He's Protecting Will Come Through For Him To Get Him Out. Probably They Gave Him The Lawyer.
"The Video Confession, They'll Say It Was Under Durress, I Know How This Is Going."
@oluwasetomicute said:
"Lawyers can adopt any measures to lighten their clients' penalty. I won't be surprised if he says all the confession was under duress or the lawyers providing some psychiatric diagnosis of their client."
'Timileyin Ajayi tried to kill himself'
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Adaji Adaidu Samson, Salome’s uncle, accused Ajayi of covering up for a crime syndicate.
Samson spoke during an appearance on Brekete Family, an Abuja-based human rights broadcast station.
In the interview, the deceased's uncle alleged that Ajayi tried to kill himself before his arraignment on Friday, January 17.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
