Edo court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping, murder

An Edo State High Court has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery, kidnapping and murder.

They were convicted and sentenced by Justice Irele-Ifijeh of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.

The convicts are identified as Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward.

They were sentenced to death for armed robbery, kidnapping and the murder of one Ephraim Akhere in Ihumudumun quarters in Ekpoma, the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of the state

Justice Ifijeh also sentenced one Oviasogie Sunday, alias Alhaji of Kano, to life imprisonment for receiving an Infinity Jeep with registration number EFR 218 FB, property of the late Ephraim, which was stolen after the murder.

The convicts were among the six persons arraigned before Justice Irele-Ifijeh in suit number: HEK/25c/24 on a six-count charge of armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and receipt of stolen property.

The court, however, exonerated two others accused, David Williams and Monday Ozomo, for lack of evidence linking them to the robbery and kidnapping.

READ ALSO:

• Heavy downpours, lightning kill 65 in Pakistan
• EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu
• Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders

In her judgment, Justice Ifijeh held that the kidnappers rode on a motorcycle, armed with dangerous weapons, kidnapped their victims and asked Ephraim, the driver and Sandra to move to the back seat and lower their heads while Solomon took over the driver’s seat.

The judge averred that the convicts then drove to the bank while two of them stayed with their victims inside the car.

She added that the other went to the bank with Ephraim’s ATM card to withdraw money from his account.

She disclosed that after the withdrawal, the convicts were said to have driven to an uncompleted building where one of them named Solomon Abuede threw Ephraim into a well after giving him rat poison to swallow, while the girl was given the option of jumping into the well or eating the rat poison.

The judge, further said that Solomon who provided the rat poison later spared the girl’s life but raped her instead.

The judge further added that James Monday who was said to have provided the gun used for the operation and Monday Ozomo took the Infinity Jeep and two other stolen vehicles to Kano where Oviasogie paid N420,000 for the Infinity Jeep out of the agreed N500,000

In a 91-page judgement, Justice Irele-Ifijeh said the confessional statements of Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward that they participated in the armed robbery were corroborated by the evidence of one Sandra, a prosecution witness who was in the same vehicle and kidnapped along with the late Ephraim.

The judge, who said the offences were committed on June 13, 2023, said that the conviction of the three persons was in line with Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law of Edo State 2013 and the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act.

Three to die by hanging for kidnapping, murder in Edo

BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan

No fewer than 29 suspects were on Wednesday arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court for involvement and roles in aborted invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday, April 13.

They were arraigned on seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearm, going armed and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

READ ALSO:

• (JUST IN)Naira abuse: Cubana Chief Priest pleads not guilty
• FG now pays about N600bn monthly for fuel subsidy — Rainoil CEO
• North Central Support Group rejects Northern Elders, pledges allegiance to Asiwaju

The offences, according to the Investigative Police Officer, Bakare Rasaq, an Inspector with the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan is contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminak Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

The number is an increase of eight more following the parade of 21 suspects erier by the Oyo Police Command.

The case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 is between the Commissioner of Police vs the 29 suspects.

BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan

Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi has confirmed the abduction of two of its personnel by gunmen along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.

Sector commander of the FRSC in Ebonyi, Henry Igwe, told journalists on Tuesday in Abakaliki that both personnel were abducted on March 8.

Igwe said the two personnel had concluded their duties at the corps’ Nkalagu office and were returning to Enugu when they were abducted.

He said the corps contacted their families, who informed them that the officers had yet to return home.

“The families said that some people contacted them that they were kidnappers and were demanding ransom.

READ ALSO:

• Driver killed, 16 passengers abducted on Abuja-Lokoja road
• Israeli forces attack Gaza refugee camps, kill 18
• Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57

“The negotiations are between the families and kidnappers, and as an organisation, we have been doing the much we can,” he said.

The sector commander said his office had informed its headquarters of the development and formally reported to relevant security agencies.

He noted that it had not been established that the personnel were either alive or dead, but the fact remained that they had not been seen.

Jude Okpor, Ebonyi Commissioner for Information and Orientation, dismissed the insinuation that the state government was nonchalant about the situation.

“The matter has inter-state connectivity, and the government has initiated measures with its affected sister state to nip it in the bud,” he said.

DSP Joshua Ukandu, the police public relations officer in Ebonyi, urged families of victims to report such incidents to the command so that it can establish whether the incident happened at the Ebonyi axis of the road.

“The situation is more of an Enugu issue, and information on it should be sought from the Enugu command of the force.

“I believe some steps are being taken to combat it, but our safer highway teams stationed on the affected axis always assist commuters in crossing safely from the area,” he said.

Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction

(NAN)