RCCG Pastor Who Stabbed & Killed His Wife Begs Governor Ambode For Pardon

Pastor Akolade Arowolo 

Akolade Arowolo, a youth pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who killed his banker wife, Titilayo, with 73 other inmates of the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, yesterday, sought pardon under the Lagos State Prerogative on Mercy conferred on the Governor, claiming they are reformed and should be pardoned.


Akolade, who was sentenced to death by an Ikeja high court three years ago after he was found guilty of his wife’s murder on June 24, 2011, was seen in prison, pleading that he needs another chance to right his wrongs.


Arowolo who delivered a remark on behalf of his fellow condemned inmates, pleaded for mercy stressing that they are all remorseful and have learnt from their mistakes.

“Your coming gave us a beacon of hope. I know that not everybody wrote application. Would there be opportunity for them? A lot of us have realized the wrongs that we did and having gone through the process of reformation, restoration and rehabilitation (3Rs), being faced with life and death, have held on to God that indeed we are wrong and plead that you give us a second chance”, he told the committee.

Deputy Controller, Kirikiri Maximum prison, Seye Oduntan thanked the committee for the visit which he said helped to reduce tension amongst the condemned prisoners.

Oduntan said that the prison was heated since last week following reports that government was considering execution of Reverend Chukwuemeka Ezeugo a.k.a. Reverend King whose death sentence was recently affirmed by the Supreme Court for the murder of one of his church members, Ann Uzor.

His pleading came as the Committee on Prerogative on Mercy said that the state will not fail to exercise its prerogative on prisoners, who proved to be reformed.

Arowolo was among 74 prisoners called out by the committee, led by Professor Oyelowo Oyewo, set up by the governor to review their applications. The committee was on a fact-finding visit to the prisons to have first hand information from the inmates that are eligible for mercy and pardon.

The pastor was sentenced to death in 2016 by hanging for the murder of his banker wife, Titilayo.

Titilayo before her death, worked with Skye bank.

Prosecutors were able to present compelling evidence that led to the conviction of Mr Arowolo and his sentencing by Justice Lateefat Okunu of the Ikeja High Court where he was handed a death sentence.

Justice Okunu held in her over three hours judgment that evidence before the court proved that Arowolo actually murdered his wife in their matrimonial home. Testimony in the form of a forensic report from Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, a pathologist, determined that the deceased could have stabbed herself to death.

Also, 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. He noted that the knife wounds affected Titilayo’s left eye, right eye, upper chest area, right chest and collar bone.

Prof. Obafunwa pointed out in his testimony that the deceased could not have inflicted such wounds on herself. To further prove its case, prosecution invited some of Titilayo’s family members who testified that Arowolo and Titilayo had always had a troubled marriage.

In his own evidence, Pastor Arowolo claimed that he and his deceased wife had passionate s*x for two hours and kissed on the same day before 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.