By Folake Oye

Five persons have been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging by the Osun State High Court sitting in Ede for the murder of a Fulani herder, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu.

The convicts are Ibrahim Issa, Lateef Bello, AbdulRamon Soliu, Bello Ibrahim, and AbuduMumini Saheed .

They were arraigned on 28th October 2021 on four counts bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder contrary to Sections 324, 319, and 364 of the Criminal Code, Law of Osun State, 2002.

Counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mr Moses Faremi, told the court that the convicts kidnapped Adamu on 17th April 2018 around 7:45 p.m. from his residence at Owode-Ede in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun state.

The prosecutor informed the court that the convicts collected a ₦3 million ransom from the family of the victim and later killed him.

Mr Faremi called three witnesses, including the Police Investigating Officer, Ganiyu Taofeek, who tendered several exhibits including extra-judicial statements and a mask used by the kidnappers to prove his case.

In his confessional statement tendered by the police, Saheed admitted that they killed their victim and shared the ransom.

The prosecution witness narrated how the convicts mutilated the deceased’s corpse and dismembered it, after which they dumped the remains in the Osun River.

Justice Kudirat Akano agreed that the prosecutor had proven the case against the convicts beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted them accordingly.

Their counsels, Bola Ige and Folashade Ipede, prayed to the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing their clients.

Justice Akano sentenced each of the convicts to death by hanging for murder, 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy to kidnap, 14 years imprisonment for kidnapping, and 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy to murder