Joy Afekafe was just 14 years old in 2023 when she was employed as a housemaid by Dr. Funmilayo Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Her appearance painted the image of an innocent girl, but that illusion was shattered after she was arrested and later convicted for the murder of her employer. Now 16, Joy has been sentenced to life imprisonment after the court found her guilty of orchestrating the brutal killing with the help of two male classmates who remain at large.
Dr. Adefolalu had dismissed Joy shortly after employing her, following the discovery that Joy had stolen items from the house, including foreign currencies. Seeking revenge, Joy recruited two male classmates, identified by their nicknames “DJ Wallex” and “DJ Smart,” and planned an attack. Familiar with her former employer’s routine, she led the boys into the house, where they lay in wait. Upon the lecturer’s return, the attackers confronted her, demanding reasons for sacking Joy. Dissatisfied with her explanation, they began to stab her repeatedly.
In a desperate attempt to defend herself, the lecturer grabbed a stool to shield herself from the assault. However, one of the boys snatched it from her and used it to strike her on the head. The blow rendered her unconscious, and she bled to death. After confirming her death, the trio looted the home, taking away phones, a laptop, and a vehicle battery before fleeing.
The police later arrested Joy in the Gbeganu area of Minna on October 30, 2023. During interrogation, she confessed to the plot and narrated how she and her friends carried out the attack. Investigators recovered bloodstained knives from the crime scene, and Joy’s statement gave clear details about how the murder unfolded. The other two suspects remain at large, with ongoing efforts to apprehend them.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Mohammed Adishetu ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the victim died as a result of the attack led by Joy and her accomplices. “From the evidence before me, I’m satisfied that the prosecution has proved the offences of culpable homicide punishable with death and armed robbery against the convict,” he said. Given her age at the time of the crime, the court did not impose a death sentence but instead sentenced her to life in a custodial center for the homicide and an additional 10 years for armed robbery.
