An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced four persons to death by hanging for conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.
The convicts were arraigned on September 1, 2022, before Justice Olalekan Olatawura on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, murder and illegal possession of firearms.
The court heard that on May 5, 2022, the defendants conspired to kidnap and murder Chief Ajayi Emmanuel at his residence along the Immigration Office area in Ado Ekiti. They were also found in possession of four locally fabricated cut-to-size single-barrel guns and 13 live cartridges.
The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called two witnesses and tendered the defendants’ confessional statements, a certificate of compliance, four locally made firearms, a video disc and a medical report from ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, among other exhibits.
A police officer, Sergeant Oladele Ayodeji, testified that one of the suspects was initially arrested during a robbery operation in Ekute, Ado Ekiti, where he confessed to being part of a kidnapping gang and implicated the other defendants. Subsequent arrests led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition and other items linked to the gang.
The defendants testified in their own defence through their counsel but did not call any witnesses.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olatawura described the first, second and third defendants as serial kidnappers, armed robbers and housebreakers, while noting that the fourth defendant was an ex-convict.
He ruled that society would be safer if people with such criminal tendencies were permanently removed from it, adding that the law prescribed strict penalties for the offences.
The court sentenced all four convicts to 21 years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy.
On the charge of illegal possession of firearms, Dele Jimoh was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined ₦20,000, while the remaining defendants were discharged and acquitted on that count.
For the offences of kidnapping and murder, Justice Olatawura sentenced all four defendants to death by hanging, with the sentences to run concurrently.