Ex-driver sentenced to death for killing Abuja couple

An FCT High Court has sentenced a former driver, Jonathan Marcus, to death by hanging for the murder of an elderly couple, Adebola Ezekiel and his wife, Abiodun Ezekiel, at their residence in Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

The judgment followed the successful prosecution of the case by the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, said the couple, both in their 80s, were killed on April 1, 2024, at their home in Zone D, Apo Legislative Quarters.

According to the police, investigations identified Marcus, who had previously worked as the victims’ driver, as the prime suspect. He allegedly fled to Obajana, Kogi State, after the incident but was later tracked down, arrested and returned to Abuja for investigation.

The police said Marcus confessed during interrogation to entering the couple’s residence around 11 p.m. on the night of the attack and killing them.

Investigators also established that the convict had been dismissed from his job as the couple’s driver following repeated disagreements with his employers.

Marcus was subsequently arraigned before the FCT High Court, where the prosecution presented evidence linking him to the crime.

Delivering judgment, Justice M. S. Idris ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found Marcus guilty of the double murder.

The court sentenced him to death by hanging.

Reacting to the verdict, the FCT Police Command described the judgment as a demonstration of the justice system’s resolve to hold criminal offenders accountable.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, assuring residents that it would continue to investigate crimes thoroughly and ensure offenders are brought to justice.