Five persons who had the nerve to attack and kill an old woman in a Plateau State community have been served with a commensurate punishment.
File photo used only for illustrative purpose
Five persons have been sentencedto death by hanging by Plateau State High Court 7, for killing an old woman tagged a witch.
The convicts had accused the deceased of being behind some of the mysterious happenings at Kwogu village in Riyom local government area.
The victim Mama Lyop Badung was beaten to death, while the girl who was said to have died of witchcraft was Rachael Yohann.
The accused persons were sentenced on two count charges of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
The convicted persons are Yohanna Davou, John Davou, Pam Davou, Pam Dalyop and one other.
Justice Christine Dabup on Tuesday said the witnesses called to testify in the case did not contradict themselves in their evidence and that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, while the police did not fail in their responsibility.
Having listened to the counsels of all the parties, with their final written addresses adopted, Justice Christine Dabup, sentenced the accused persons to death by hanging without any option.
After the judgment, the prosecuting counsel agreed that it was barbaric to kill a human being on accusation of witchcraft.
“Anybody suspected to be a witch should not be manhandled or killed until the law takes its full course”, he said.