An Edo State Special Criminal Court sitting in Benin City has sentenced four men to death after finding them guilty in a kidnapping case involving the abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road.
The judgment marks the first major verdict delivered by the special court, which was established in July to fast-track the prosecution of kidnapping and cultism cases in the state.
The four defendants — Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael — had faced charges including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The case followed the June 14 abduction of a woman who was reportedly taken at gunpoint in broad daylight. She was later released unharmed after the intervention of security operatives.
During the trial, prosecutors presented witnesses and exhibits, including a Lexus SUV allegedly used in the operation and a pump-action firearm. The defence had challenged the prosecution’s evidence and urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants.
The verdict comes against the backdrop of Edo State’s renewed efforts to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes through specialised judicial proceedings. The state government has pledged to pursue capital punishment for offenders convicted under laws carrying the death penalty.
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