Edo Special Court Sentences Four Kidnappers To Death By Hanging Over Abduction Of Woman
The Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four kidnappers — Marvelous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27 — to death by hanging for the abduction of a woman at the popular Vegetable Market, off Airport Road in Benin City.
Justice Aigbona Momodu on Tuesday convicted the four — three males and one female — on an 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The court, established under Governor Monday Okpebholo’s directive to fast-track kidnapping and cultism cases, found Marvelous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Michael and Gift Raphael guilty after the woman was whisked away while shopping with her husband and children at the Vegetable Market.
According to reports, a female eyewitness who saved the victim’s children had raised alarm in a viral video: “Today, for the first time, I witnessed someone being kidnapped… It happened right at Airport Road by the Vegetable Market.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident.
Delivering judgment, Justice Momodu sentenced Marvelous Isaac and Wisdom Michael to death on counts two to nine, Rufus Michael on counts two, three, four, six and seven, and Gift Raphael on counts two, four, six and eight.
“In count one, you are hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through administration of lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck till you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you,” the judge declared for each convict.
The court also ordered that the JoJef pump-action rifle and cartridges recovered from the convicts be handed over to the Edo State Armourer at the State CID for destruction after 30 days.
