A High Court sitting in Benin, the Edo State has sentenced to death by hanging a discharged constable, identified as Joseph Omotosho, who was attached to the defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad, Edo State Police Command.
NEWSNAIJA learned, Four others, Adeleke Adedeji, Abena John, Oniyo Musa, and Henry Shobowole, who escaped in the twin jailbreak during the #EndSars protest last October, had their sentences suspended.
They were accused of conniving with the extrajudicial killing of a car dealer, Benson Obodeh, in 2015 and were found guilty on eight counts bordering on conspiracy to steal and murder.
Omotosho was said to have also withdrawn N330,000 from the deceased’s account through Automated Teller Machines, having obtained the PIN number from Obodeh before he was killed.
Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele described testimonies provided by the claimant as firm and almost unchallenged, adding, “Therefore, the judgment was based on absolute fact, which the court absorbed as presented by the prosecuting counsel and all witnesses that appeared before the court.”
Ovbiagele pointed out that the convicts could not validate counter-evidence against the charges leveled against them.
Omotosho was also handed another seven years’ imprisonment for his role in the stealing of the deceased’s money from his bank accounts.
The deceased was said to have been listed among suspected criminal gangs, who allegedly stole a Peugeot car.
Abraham Oviawe, the prosecuting counsel, said, “What happened today is a confirmation of the biblical position that says the wages of sin is death. So, when one conspires to take the life of another man, with overwhelming evidence, the court has no option but to reach the verdict is reached.”
On his part, the counsel for the convicts, Lede Pique, said the judgment would be appealed