According to a report by The Nation on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, an Osun State High Court sitting in Ede has delivered a landmark judgment, sentencing a middle-aged herdsman, Issa Ibrahim, alongside four others to death.
They were found guilty of kidnapping, killing, and dismembering the corpse of Ibrahim’s father, Adamu Ibrahim, in a gruesome plot over inheritance.
The convicts, identified as Lateef Bello, Abdulrahman Soliu, Bello Ibrahim, and Jolaanabi Saheed, stood trial after being arraigned on October 28, 2021.
They faced four counts of conspiracy, murder, and kidnapping, following a detailed investigation into the tragic events that began in April 2017.
The mother of Jolaanabi, Ajibola Saheed, was also initially charged but was later acquitted.
During the trial, the defence counsel from the Osun State Ministry of Justice, Assistant Director Moses Faremi, presented a compelling case, calling three witnesses, including two of the deceased’s sons and a police officer.
Evidence submitted included a stool, a club, and other items recovered from Jolaanabi’s residence in Owode-Ede, where Adamu Ibrahim was held captive.
Faremi recounted the chilling sequence of events, stating: “They kidnapped Adamu from his house and took him to the house of Jolaanabi. They demanded a ransom of N10 million but later reduced it to N3 million, which was delivered in Sagamu, Ogun State. While the father was in their den, the veil used to cover his face fell off, and he recognized his abductors. They killed him and dismembered his corpse, throwing the parts into the Osun River to cover the crime.”
The prosecution’s case hinged on the testimonies and evidence presented, which painted a vivid picture of the heinous crime.
Justice Kudirat Akano, presiding over the case, meticulously reviewed the evidence.
She noted that the prosecution successfully established the involvement of the convicts in the crimes of conspiracy, murder, and kidnapping through conventional statements and the testimony of an eyewitness, one of the deceased’s sons.
Justice Akano emphasized the role of Issa Ibrahim, the son of the deceased, whose actions and testimony further corroborated the prosecution's case.
According to her, Issa’s grievance over his father’s failure to bestow his birthright led him to conspire with the other convicts to kidnap Adamu for ransom.
The situation escalated tragically when Adamu recognized his captors, prompting them to murder and dismember him to avoid identification.
The court acquitted Ajibola Saheed, the mother of Jolaanabi, on the grounds of insufficient evidence linking her to the crimes.
The prosecution failed to substantiate her involvement, leading to her discharge and acquittal.
In her sentencing remarks, Justice Akano stated: “For conspiracy, I sentence the convicts to 14 years imprisonment, for murder, I sentence them to death, and for kidnapping, I sentence them to 14 years imprisonment, which will run concurrently.”