An Osun State High Court sitting in Ede has sentenced five men to death by hanging for kidnapping and killing Ibrahim Adamu, a herder, despite the payment of N3 million ransom.
The convicts, Ibrahim Issa, Lateef Bello, Abdul Ramon Soliu, Bello Ibrahim and Abudu Mumini Jolaanobi Saheed, adducted the deceased in his residence at Owode- Ede on April 17, 2018 and killed him for recognising one of them even after the payment of the ransom demanded.
The killers who were first arraigned before the court on October 28, 2021, for offences bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder pleaded not guilty to the charges against them which are contrary to Sections 324, 319 and 364 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State.
During trial, the investigating police officer, Ganiyu Taofeek told the court that the defendants confessed to the killing of their victim because he recognised and identified one of them.
According to him, “a member of the gang, Abdu Mumini, having realised that Adamu had identified one of them, directed other members of the gang including three Togolese, who are yet to be arrested, to slaughter the victim.”
Ganiyu later tendered exhibits including extrajudicial statements and a mask allegedly used by the defendants, which dropped at the scene of the crime during the struggle between the perpetrators and the victim before the court.
He said, “After Adamu had been killed, Abdul Mumini went away with the head and heart, while Soliu, another member of the gang, took the deceased’s arms before the other remains were dumped inside at river Osun.”
The prosecuting counsel from the ministry of justice, Moses Faremi, told the court that he has been able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt in his final submission.
But the defence counsel, Mr. Bola Ige,begged the court to temper justice with mercy insisting that the charges pressed against his clients had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecuting counsel.
However, Justice Kudirat Akano, affirmed the final submission and sentenced the defendants to death by hanging after they were found guilty of the offences committed.