Two men have been found guilty by an Ikeja high court for the death of seven officers of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Judge Hakeem Oshodi delivered the verdict on Monday and sentenced Clement Ododomu to death by hanging and Tiwei Monday to 16 years in prison.
Background
On September 14, 2015, in Ishawo Creek, Ikorodu, Lagos, the convicted individuals committed the offenses.
They faced a 10-count charge, including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and illegal possession of firearms, contravening section 223 and 298 (3) of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2015.
The Lagos state government stated that on September 14, 2015, the DSS received a distress call from an editor of Sun newspaper (name withheld), reporting the kidnapping of his wife at their residence.
Reportedly, a nine-man team from the DSS state command promptly dispatched to conduct surveillance and determine the location of the kidnappers, who were in the process of negotiating a ransom.
On the evening of the same day, Martins Ajayi, one of the officers in the team, sent a distress text message to the command headquarters, indicating that vandals had ambushed the team, and seized their weapons.
Notwithstanding, Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, claiming they were in Lagos to attend their grandmother’s funeral.
Court’s decision
Delivering judgment, Oshodi pointed out that the defense failed to produce crucial witnesses to support their assertion.
The judge also noted that the defendants did not show remorse for their actions.
The judge said “The court has taken into account the allocutus presented by the defense counsel, but we are bound by the legal position,”
As indicated, the first defendant received convictions on counts one, five, seven, nine, and ten, while the second defendant was convicted on counts one and ten.
The judge emphasized that the prosecution failed to establish the second defendant’s guilt in the murder charge.
Oshodi clarified that the evidence presented in court indicated that it was Agbala and the first defendant who perpetrated the killing of the operatives.
He determined that the prosecution successfully demonstrated the involvement of both defendants in ambushing the operatives.
However, the convicts were acquitted on counts two, three, four, six, and eight due to the prosecution’s inability to substantiate the allegations against them.
The judge said “The court has assessed the demeanor of the defendants and concluded that they exhibited no remorse concerning the allegations they faced.
“The first and second defendants are hereby sentenced to imprisonment for 14 years for count 10 and the first and second defendants are hereby sentenced to imprisonment for two years for count 9.
“The first defendant is hereby sentenced to imprisonment for 20 years. The terms of imprisonment for both defendants will run concurrently.
“For count five and seven, which the court has found the first defendant guilty, the sentence of the court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and may God have mercy on your soul.
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