Four sentenced to death in Edo over kidnapping
The Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four persons to death for their involvement in the kidnapping of a woman in the popular Vegetable Market, off Airport Road in Benin City.
Justice Aigbona Momodu gave the judgement on 11-count charges of kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The court, established under the directive of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, is mandated to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases, according to the report.
The four sentenced persons – three males and one female – are Marvellous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.
According to the court’s verdict, the exhibits recovered from the four sentenced persons – a pump-action rifle, two unexpended cartridges and two expended cartridges – were ordered to be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Edo State Police Command.
The abducted victim (name undisclosed) was at the market with her children and husband when gunmen reportedly came to the scene and whisked her away.
In a video online, a woman who claimed to have witnessed the incident described it as kidnapping, stressing, “Today, for the first time, I witnessed someone being kidnapped.”
She continued, “Who said kidnapping is not in Benin? A kidnapping happened in my presence right at Airport Road by the Vegetable Market. Just because it has not happened to you does not mean it doesn’t exist.
“I saved the woman’s children today. This is me. It happened in front of me. We were both buying something in the same place, at the vegetable market. This is me; I have bruises. These are my legs.”
The incident was subsequently confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem.
During the verdict on Tuesday, the judge found the four persons guilty of kidnapping and convicted them accordingly.
The first defendant, Marvelous Isaac, was also convicted of being a member of the Eiye Confraternity and sentenced to death.
They had pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Justice Momodu found them guilty and said they were to die by hanging or lethal injection.
The four convicts were said to have carried out a series of kidnappings, including the June 14 broad daylight abduction of one Oseghale Precious at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road in Benin.
They were arrested three days later, and other victims came out to identify and testify against them.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Roland Otaru, called seven witnesses, and the convicts did not call any witnesses.
Justice Momodu said the defence did not object to the exhibits tendered, especially the confessional statements of the convicts, and all the defendants were found guilty of kidnapping.
The judge found the first defendant, Marvellous, guilty on all the counts. He sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on count one, 10 years’ imprisonment on count 10, life imprisonment on count 11 and death on counts two to nine.
The second defendant, Wisdom Michael, was discharged and acquitted on counts 10 and 11. He was sentenced to death on the other counts.
Rufus Michael got seven years’ imprisonment on count one and the death sentence on counts two to nine. He was discharged and acquitted on counts four, five, eight, nine, 10 and 11.
The only female convict, Gift Raphael, was discharged and acquitted on counts four, five, eight, nine, 10 and 11.
She was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on count one and received the death sentence on counts two, four, six and eight.
Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and notary public, Olayiwola Afolabi, has cautioned Governor Monday Okpebholo against the immediate execution of the four persons.
Olayiwola urged Governor Okpebholo to allow the convicts to appeal against the judgment within 90 days, as required by law.
Afolabi said, “The governor cannot order the execution of the convicts. It is only when they fail to file an appeal within the required 90 days. I know the Attorney-General will not advise the Governor to carry out the execution when the 90 days have not expired.”
