The resolute judgment was pronounced by Hon. Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh at the High Court in Benin, casting a somber shadow over the lives of the convicted trio. Their fate was sealed for the abduction and subsequent slaying of Ephraim Akhere, a tragic event that unfolded on June 13, 2014, in the tranquil confines of Ihumudumun Quarters, Ekpoma, nestled within the Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Furthermore, the court decreed a life sentence upon one Oviasogie Sunday, held culpable for the reception of an Infinity Jeep adorned with registration number EFR 218 FB—an automobile belonging to the late Akhere, cruelly snatched following his demise.
These grievous transgressions, constituting violations under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law of Edo State 2013 and the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act, were laid bare during the trial proceedings.
The accused found themselves entangled in the web of justice, standing trial before Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh in the legal dossier denoted by suit number: HEK/25c/24. Charged with six counts encompassing armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy, and the receipt of stolen property, the defendants faced the relentless scrutiny of the court.
However, amidst the adjudication, two individuals—David Williams and Monday Ozomo—emerged unscathed, their innocence upheld due to a dearth of substantive evidence linking them to the crimes of armed robbery and kidnapping.
In a meticulous examination culminating in a 91-page pronouncement, Justice Irele-Ifijeh elucidated the rationale behind the verdict. Drawing from the confessional statements of Abuede, Monday, and Edward, corroborated by the testimony of Sandra—a key prosecution witness who bore witness to the gruesome ordeal—the judge unveiled a narrative steeped in darkness and despair.
Detailing the barbaric modus operandi of the kidnappers, Justice Irele-Ifijeh recounted the chilling account of the abduction, the subsequent journey to the abyss of terror, and the ultimate demise of Ephraim Akhere. Tragically, the perpetrators showed no mercy, subjecting their victims to unspeakable horrors, culminating in a fatal plunge into a well for Akhere, while Sandra faced the stark choice of a similar fate or the consumption of rat poison.
Amidst the heinous acts, moments of reprieve were scarce. Solomon, the perpetrator behind the lethal dose, spared Sandra's life only to perpetrate another vile act—rape—an egregious violation inflicted upon her in the wake of desperate pleas for mercy.
The tentacles of the crime extended beyond the borders of Edo State, reaching as far as Kano State, where the stolen Infinity Jeep found its temporary refuge. Monday Ozomo, in collaboration with Oviasogie Sunday, facilitated the vehicle's journey, concluding in a transaction that bore witness to the commodification of stolen goods, exchanging hands for a fraction of its worth.
As the gavel fell, sealing the fate of the condemned, the echoes of justice reverberated, serving as a grim reminder of the irrevocable consequences wrought by the depths of human depravity.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0