Edo court sentences four defendants to death

The Edo State Special Criminal Court sentenced four defendants to death over the kidnapping of a woman at Benin City’s Vegetable Market, according to the court’s judgment and reports of the ruling. Justice Aigbona Momodu imposed the sentences on Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael after finding them guilty on multiple counts arising from the case. The judgment specifies that the death sentences are to be carried out by hanging or lethal injection. The four defendants were convicted on an 11-count charge involving kidnapping and other offences, including conspiracy, cultism, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms, according to the accounts of the proceedings. The reproduced verdict sets out different sentences for each defendant across the counts. Isaac and Wisdom Michael received death sentences on counts two through nine, as well as seven-year terms on count one. Isaac was also sentenced to 10 years on count 10 and life imprisonment on count 11. Rufus Emete Michael received death sentences on counts two, three, four, six and seven, alongside a seven-year term on count one.