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The Edo state special criminal court has sentenced four persons to death over the abduction of a woman at Vegetable market along Airport road in Benin city, Edo state.
Aigbona Momodu, trial judge, on Tuesday convicted the four defendants on a 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms
The defendants are Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael.
The abduction of the victim took place on June 14, 2026.
Delivering the judgment, Momodu held that he had no choice than to impose the maximum sentence stipulated by the law on the defendants.
The judge sentenced the defendants to seven years in prison each for count one.
Isaac, the first defendant, was sentenced to death by hanging or administration of lethal injection for counts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
The first defendant was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for count 10 and life imprisonment for count 11.
Wisdom Michael, the second defendant, was sentenced to death by hanging or administration of lethal injection for counts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Rufus Emete Michael, the third defendant, got death by hanging or administration of lethal injection for counts 2,3,6, and 7.
Raphael, the fourth defendant, got death by hanging or administration of lethal injection for counts 2, 4, 6, and 8.
The judge also ordered that the pump action and cartridges retrieved from the defendants should be seized by the federal government and destroyed by the police within 30 days.
This is the maiden judgment of the Edo special court since it was established in June.
In June, Daniel Okungbowa, the chief judge of Edo state, constituted a special court to prosecute cultism and kidnapping cases in the state to tackle violent crimes.
Osawaru said the special court was established following the request of Monday Okpebholo, governor of the state.
