A youth pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Akolade Arowolo, has been condemned to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of his wife, Titilayo Arowolo — a banker with Skye Bank. The death sentence was handed down by Ikeja High Court, under the judgment of Lateefat Okunu, after prosecutors presented what the court deemed “compelling and conclusive” evidence.
A forensic autopsy conducted by renowned pathologist John Oladapo Obafunwa revealed Titilayo had sustained 76 stab wounds — injuries incompatible with self-infliction. The knife wounds included multiple areas such as her eyes, chest, and collarbone, making it impossible for her to have stabbed herself.
During the trial, Arowolo had argued that his wife was “possessed” and inflicted the fatal wounds on herself after a marital fight. He also claimed they had shared affectionate intimacy earlier that day. His parents testified in his defense, insisting he was a law-abiding, religious man, incapable of such violence.
But the court disagreed. Relying on the forensic report and testimonies — including that of a co-tenant who said he heard loud noises and later saw Arowolo with cut palms while a knife and a broken-handled hammer lay in the yard — Justice Okunu concluded that the evidence established guilt beyond reasonable doubt, warranting the death penalty.
In the courtroom, after the verdict was delivered, Arowolo collapsed and cried out in prayer, begging for mercy as the weight of the sentence sank in.
