RCCG youth pastor Akolade Arowolo sentenced to death for murdering his wife

REDEEMED Christian Church of God (RCCG) clergyman Pastor Akolade Arowolo has been sentenced to die by hanging at the Ikeja High Court in Lagos State for the murder of his banker wife Titilayo.

Pastor Arowolo, a youth pastor at the church, fell down in the dock and started shouting Jesus Have Mercy after he was sentenced yesterday. Prosecutors were able to present compelling evidence indicating that he killed Titilayo, who worked for Skye Bank, that led to his conviction and sentencing by Justice Lateefat Okunu.

Testimony in the form of a forensic report from Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa, a pathologist, was what the court used to determine that there was no way the deceased could have stabbed herself to death. Professor Obafunwa testified that his autopsy report revealed that Titilayo was killed through 76 knife stab wounds.

There were claims by Pastor Arowolo, suggesting that his wife was possessed and inflicted injuries on herself. However, Professor Obafunwa pointed out in his testimony that the deceased could not have inflicted such wounds on herself and to further prove its case, the prosecution invited some of Titilayo’s family members who testified that Arowolo and his wife had always had a troubled marriage.

Her father, George Oyakhire, sister, Ijeh and mother-in-law, Adetoun Yeside Oyakhire, testified that the couple lived a cat and mouse life. They claimed that the family had at several times, settled serious fights between the couple nut none of the witnesses, however, saw what actually happened on the day Titilayo died.

Pastor Arowolo’s co-tenant, Adewale Adeyemi, in his evidence said that on the day of the incident he heard a loud noise when he was in his apartment and later saw the clergyman rushing out with a deep cut in his palms. He claimed to have also seen a hammer and a knife with a broken handle in the yard.

In his own evidence, Pastor Arowolo his claimed that he and his deceased wife had passionate sex for two hours and kissed on the same day she died. He claimed that Titi then stabbed herself to death on the day after they had a fight.

Also, Pastor Arowolo claimed that Titilayo was possessed by an evil spirit and inflicted several stab wounds on him before turning to herself. Arowolo’s father, Mudashiru and mother also testified of their son’s good behaviour, insisting he could not have killed his wife, as he has always been a religious person and was incapable of murder.