Court Sentences Four to Death Over Benin Market Kidnapping

An Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four persons to death over the broad-daylight abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City.

Justice Aigbona Momodu handed down the judgment on Tuesday after finding Marvellous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Emete Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27, guilty of various offences.

The four defendants faced an 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The case followed the June 14 abduction of the woman at the busy market, where she had gone with her husband and children.

Witnesses said gunmen suddenly arrived at the scene and took her away. A woman who witnessed the incident later described the experience in a video shared online.

The witness said she had helped to save the victim’s children during the attack and sustained bruises while trying to respond to the incident.

The Edo State Police Command subsequently confirmed the kidnapping and launched investigations that led to the arrest of the defendants.

The prosecution, led by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, called seven witnesses during the trial. The defendants did not call any witnesses.

The prosecution also tendered exhibits, including a pump-action firearm and four cartridges recovered during the investigation.

Justice Momodu found the first defendant, Isaac, guilty on all 11 counts. He sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on count one, death on counts two to nine, 10 years on count 10 and life imprisonment on count 11.

Wisdom Michael received seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death sentences on counts two to nine. The court discharged and acquitted him on counts 10 and 11.

Rufus Emete Michael received seven years on count one and death sentences on counts two, three, four, six and seven. The court discharged and acquitted him on counts five, eight, nine, 10 and 11.

The court also sentenced Gift Raphael to seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death on counts two, four, six and eight. She was discharged and acquitted on counts five, nine, 10 and 11.

The court ordered that the death sentences be carried out by hanging or lethal injection in accordance with the law. Reports on the judgment said the court considered the punishments prescribed for the offences proved against the defendants.

Justice Momodu also ordered that the firearm and four cartridges tendered as exhibits be handed over to the Edo State Police Armourer at the State Criminal Investigation Department for destruction.

The Edo State Special Criminal Court began operations in July to handle kidnapping, cultism and other violent crime cases and speed up their prosecution. The judgment marked its first completed kidnapping case.

During the trial, the defence did not object to the admission of the prosecution’s exhibits, including the defendants’ confessional statements, according to reports of the proceedings.

However, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Notary Public, Olayiwola Afolabi, has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo not to take steps towards executing the convicts until they have exhausted their right of appeal.

Afolabi said the convicts should have the opportunity to challenge the judgment within the period allowed by law.

“The governor cannot order the execution of the convicts. It is only when they fail to file an appeal within the required 90 days,” Afolabi said.

He added that he expected the Attorney-General to advise the governor against taking any step towards execution before the expiration of the appeal period.

The case has drawn attention to the state’s specialised court, which Governor Okpebholo established to accelerate the prosecution of kidnapping and cultism cases.