4 Kidnappers Sentenced To Death Over Edo Market Abduction

(Suspects. Photo by TheCable)

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

Justice Aigbona Momodu gave the judgement on Tuesday on an 11 count charge covering kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The court was set up on the directive of Governor Monday Okpebholo to handle kidnapping and cultism cases.

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

They had pleaded not guilty, but the judge found them guilty and said they are to die by hanging or lethal injection.

The court heard that they carried out a series of kidnappings, including the June 14 broad daylight abduction of Oseghale Precious at the market.

They were arrested three days later and other victims came forward to identify and testify against them.

The prosecution, led by Attorney General Roland Otaru, called seven witnesses while the defence called none.

The judge said the defence did not object to the exhibits, including the confessional statements of the convicts.

Marvellous was also found to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity and was convicted on all counts.

He got seven years on count one, 10 years on count 10, life imprisonment on count 11 and death on counts two to nine.

Wisdom was acquitted on counts 10 and 11 and sentenced to death on the rest.

Rufus got seven years on count one and death on counts two to nine, and was acquitted on six counts.

Gift was also acquitted on six counts, got seven years on count one and death on counts two, four, six and eight.

A pump action rifle, two unspent cartridges and two spent cartridges recovered from the convicts were ordered to be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

The incident was earlier confirmed by police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem.

A woman who said she witnessed it described the kidnapping in an online video and said she saved the victim's children.

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olayiwola Afolabi has urged Governor Okpebholo not to rush the execution.

He said the convicts must be allowed to appeal within 90 days as the law requires, and that the governor cannot order their execution until that period passes.

"Fourth defendant, in count one, you, Gift Raphael, are hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
In count two, four, six, and eight, you, Gift Raphael, are hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the… pic.twitter.com/yPIIs3eK9G

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