Four Sentenced to Death for Kidnapping in Edo

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

Justice Aigbona Momodu announced the judgment related to 11 charges including kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism, and unlawful possession of firearms, Channels TV reported on Tuesday.

The court was set up by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo to deal with cases related to kidnapping and cultism, as the report states.

The four sentenced individuals, three men and one woman, are Marvelous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.

The court ordered that the items seized from the sentenced individuals, which include a pump-action rifle, two unexpended cartridges, and two expended cartridges, be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Edo State Police Command.

According to The PUNCH, the woman, whose name was not revealed, was at the market with her children and husband when gunmen reportedly came and took her away.

A woman who claimed to see the kidnapping shared her experience in an online video. She said, “Today, for the first time, I witnessed someone being kidnapped.”

She added, “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 State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident afterward.

Full Court Verdict Below

”Sentence: In count one, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine, you, Marvellous Isaac, are 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, are hereby sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. In count eleven, you, Marvellous Isaac, are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

“Second defendant, in count one, you, Wisdom Michael, are hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine, you, Wisdom Michael, are 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, are hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, three, four, six, and seven, you, Rufus Emete Michael, are 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, are hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts 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 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.