Osun Court Sentences Five Men To Death By Hanging For Killing Herder

An Osun State High Court has sentenced five men to death by hanging for the kidnap and killing of a herder, identified as Ibrahim Adamu, despite the payment of N3 million demanded from him as ransom.

While delivering her judgment on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Kudirat Akano, sentenced the killers to death by hanging after finding them guilty. I’m

The defendants, Lateef Bello, Ibrahim Issa, Bello Ibrahim, Abdul Ramon Soliu, and Abdul Mumini Jolaanobi Saheed, reportedly adducted the deceased in his residence at Owode-Ede on April 17, 2018, and took him to an isolated place where they perpetrated the crime.

According to reports, they were first arraigned on October 28, 2021, for offences bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder. Still, they pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them contrary to Sections 324, 319, and 364 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State.

However, a witness, the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, Ganiyu Taofeek, told the court that “while Adamu was in the custody of the abductors, he identified one of the perpetrators, which made those involved in the crime kill him.”

“A member of the gang, Abdul 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,” he added.

Ganiyu presented exhibits, including a mask allegedly used by the defendants, which was dropped at the scene of the crime during the struggle between the perpetrators and the victim and extrajudicial statements.

He revealed that “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 later dumping the remains at the Osun river.

“Abdul Mumini, in his confessional statement, told the court why the gang killed Adamu and how they shared the ransom they collected from the victim’s family,” he said.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel, Mr Bola Ige, said the charges pressed against his clients had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecuting counsel and charged the court to temper justice with mercy.

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