An Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four people to death for their involvement in the kidnapping of a woman at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road in Benin City.
Justice Aigbona Momodu delivered the judgment on 11 counts involving kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms, according to a report by Channels Television.
The convicts were identified as Marvelous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Emete Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.
The court sentenced the four defendants to death on several counts. They also received various prison terms on other counts, including seven years and 10 years, while Isaac was additionally sentenced to life imprisonment on one count.
The case followed the abduction of a woman who was at the vegetable market with her husband and children when armed men reportedly abducted her.
A woman who witnessed the incident later described the incident in an online video, saying she had helped the victim’s children during the incident. The kidnapping was subsequently confirmed by the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem.
The court also ordered the confiscation of a pump-action rifle, two unexpended cartridges and two expended cartridges recovered in connection with the case.
The exhibits were ordered to be handed over to the Edo State Police Command’s State Criminal Investigation Department for destruction within 30 days.
The Special Criminal Court was established under the directive of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases, according to the report.
