Court sentences four to death by hanging over kidnapping in Edo State

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 judgment bordering on 11-count charges of kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms, Channels TV reports Tuesday.

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 Marvelous 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.

According to report, the woman (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.

See the full court verdict below

”Sentence: In count one, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck till you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”In count ten, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. In count eleven, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

“Second defendant, in count one, you, Wisdom Michael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine, you, Wisdom Michael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Third defendant, in count one, you, Rufus Emete Michael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, three, four, six, and seven, you, Rufus Emete Michael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Fourth defendant, in count one, you, Gift Raphael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, four, six, and eight, you, Gift Raphael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Now, Exhibit M, the JoJef pump action, and two unexpended cartridges, and the two expended cartridges, Exhibit E and E1, are hereby confiscated to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Both exhibits shall be handed over to the Edo State Armourer of the Nigerian Police, State CID, Edo State Headquarters, by the Deputy Director of the Criminal Division for destruction 30 days hence. This shall be the judgment of the courts.”