Four sentenced to death over Edo market kidnapping

An Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four people to death for their involvement in the kidnapping of a woman at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road, Benin City.

Justice Aigbona Momodu delivered the judgment on Tuesday after finding the defendants guilty on various counts bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The convicts are Marvellous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.

The court was established under the directive of Governor Monday Okpebholo to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases in the state.

The victim, whose name was withheld, was reportedly at the market with her husband and children when gunmen abducted her.

The incident, which occurred on June 14, was later confirmed by the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem.

The suspects were arrested three days after the abduction, following which other victims reportedly identified them and testified against them.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, called seven witnesses. The defendants did not call any witnesses.

The court also admitted exhibits including a pump-action rifle, two live cartridges and two spent cartridges. Justice Momodu ordered that the exhibits be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Edo State Police Command.

The judge said the defence did not object to the exhibits tendered by the prosecution, including the defendants’ confessional statements.

Isaac was convicted on all 11 counts. He received seven years’ imprisonment on count one, 10 years on count 10, life imprisonment on count 11 and death sentences on counts two to nine.

Wisdom Michael was discharged and acquitted on counts 10 and 11 but sentenced to death on the remaining counts on which he was convicted.

Rufus Michael received seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death sentences on counts two to nine, while he was discharged and acquitted on counts four, five, eight, nine, 10 and 11.

Raphael, the only female defendant, was discharged and acquitted on counts four, five, eight, nine, 10 and 11. She received seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death sentences on counts two, four, six and eight.

The first defendant, Isaac, was also convicted of membership of the Eiye Confraternity.

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and notary public, Olayiwola Afolabi, has urged Governor Okpebholo not to approve the immediate execution of the convicts.

Afolabi said the defendants should be allowed to exercise their right to appeal within the statutory 90-day period.

“The governor cannot order the execution of the convicts. It is only when they fail to file an appeal within the required 90 days,” he said.

He added that the Attorney-General was unlikely to advise the governor to proceed with the execution before the expiration of the appeal period.