Five men standing trial for the abduction and murder of a Fulani herder, Ibrahim Adamu, who until his death was selling cows at Owode-Ede, Osun State, were on Tuesday sentenced to death by hanging by an Osun State High Court.

After Adamu’s abduction, he was said to have been moved into a secluded place in his Toyota Corolla car.

The victim was later killed despite paying N3 million ransom after he identified one of the perpetrators of the crime.

The defendants: Ibrahim Issa, Lateef Bello, Abdul Ramon Soliu, Bello Ibrahim and Abudu Mumini Jolaanobi Saheed, were first arraigned before the court on October 28, 2021, for offences bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.

Arraigned before Justice Kudirat Akano of the State High Court, sitting in Ede, the charges pressed against the defendants were said to be contrary to Sections 324, 319 and 364 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State.

But they all pleaded not guilty to the four counts pressed against them by the state.

Stating the facts of the matter during the trial, the lead prosecuting counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Moses Faremi, told the court that the defendants abducted Adamu on April 17, 2018, around 7:45 pm at his residence located at Owode-Ede, Osun State.

When he appeared before the court, one of the prosecution witnesses, the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the matter, Mr. Ganiyu Taofeek, tendered exhibits including extrajudicial statements and a mask allegedly used by the defendants, which dropped at the scene of the crime during the struggle between the perpetrators and the victim.

Taofeek also told the court that while Adamu was in the custody of the abductors, he identified one of the perpetrators, which made those involved in the crime kill him.

He also said a member of the gang, Abdu Mumini, having realised that Adamu had identified one of them, directed other members of the gang including three Togolese, who are yet to be arrested, to slaughter the victim.

The police officer also said after Adamu had been killed, Abdul Mumini went away with the head and heart, while Soliu, another member of the gang, took the deceased’s arms.

The remains of the deceased were thereafter said to have been dumped inside the Osun River.

The IPO further said Abdu Mumini in his confessional statement narrated in detail why the gang killed Adamu and how they shared the ransom they collected from the victim’s family.

While addressing the court, the defence counsel, Mr. Bola Ige, said the charges pressed against his clients had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecuting counsel.

Also, Folashade Ipede of the Legal Aid Council, pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy.

Delivering her judgement, Justice Akano found the five men guilty of all the counts preferred against them.

She accordingly sentenced them to death by hanging.

PUNCH