By Our Crime Correspondent
An Edo State Special Court for Kidnapping and Cultism has sentenced four persons to death for kidnapping.
The convicts are Marvelous Isaac, 32; Gift Raphael, 27; Wisdom Michael and Rufus Michael.
They were arraigned on 11 counts bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and cultism.
The case followed the abduction of a woman on June 14, 2026, at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road, Benin City, after her husband escaped from the gunmen.
Trial commenced on July 1, 2026, and suffered several adjournments before judgement was delivered on Tuesday.
During trial, the prosecution presented video evidence linking the defendants to the operation and called victims and other witnesses who testified against them. Exhibits were also tendered.
In his judgement, Justice Aigbona Terry Momodu held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He found Marvelous Isaac guilty on all 11 counts; Wisdom Michael on nine counts; Rufus Michael on five counts and Gift Raphael on five counts.
All four were convicted on Count 10, kidnapping, which carries the death penalty.
Justice Momodu sentenced them to death by hanging or by lethal injection, and ordered that the firearms recovered from them be forfeited to the Federal Government and handed over to the police.
Reacting, counsel to Gift Raphael, Felix Imasuen, said his client would appeal the judgement.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, SAN, who prosecuted the case for the state, commended the court, saying justice had been served and the judgement would serve as deterrent to criminals.
