The United States (US) government has announced a reward of $25,000 for information that could lead to the capture of Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, a Nigerian individual currently facing trial for the alleged murder of his child.
According to a statement from Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Don Freeman, which was made available on the agency’s website on Monday, Olawusi has been listed among the 15 most wanted fugitives in the country.
Freeman indicated that Olawusi, who resided in Rhode Island, has been charged with two counts related to first-degree murder due to inflicting bodily harm on a child, as well as unlawful flight to evade prosecution.
The incident in question took place on April 3, 2017, when police and firefighters discovered a three-month-old child and transported him to the hospital, where it was revealed that the infant had sustained injuries across 18 different areas of his body.
This discovery led to Olawusi’s arrest.
After being taken into custody, Olawusi faced charges in court on April 20, 2017, but his location became unknown following his release on the same day while awaiting trial.
Freeman further noted that the child succumbed to his injuries six months after being hospitalized, which prompted the prosecution to add a murder charge to the ongoing case against Olawusi.
He said, “A man wanted in Rhode Island on charges of murder, inflicting serious bodily injury to a child and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution has been added to the U.S. Marshals Service 15 Most Wanted fugitives list with an up to $25,000 reward being offered for information leading to his arrest.
“Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, was charged in Providence with first-degree murder and two counts of inflicting serious bodily injury to a child after Providence Police and Fire personnel found his three-month-old son bleeding from the mouth and nose at a residence on April 3, 2017.
“The child was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated to regain a pulse. An examination at the hospital noted 18 injuries at various stages of healing, indicating a pattern of long-term abuse. These injuries included a skull fracture, subdural hematoma, significant brain injury, and fractures of the child’s ribs, clavicle, legs and arms. He was placed on life support but died six months later.
“Providence police arrested and charged Olawusi on April 20, 2017, with first-degree child abuse. He was released the same day and subsequently fled. The murder charge was added following the infant’s death on October 31, 2017.”
The US Supervisory Deputy Marshall reported that extensive efforts to track down Olawusi ultimately revealed that he had left the country on June 20, 2017. He emphasized that subsequent investigations indicated he was receiving support from family members in Nigeria.
Furthermore, he stated that the suspect has been added to the wanted list due to the potential threat he poses to children and the general public, assuring that the US will utilize all available resources to ensure he is brought to justice.
“Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child and has fled the country to avoid justice. We have placed Mr Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.
“Olawusi, who uses the alias Olekun Olawusi, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Information regarding his whereabouts may be reported to the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App,” Freeman concluded.
