A Special Criminal Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, has sentenced four persons to death over their involvement in a kidnapping case involving allegations of cultism and other violent offences.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Aigbona Terry Momodu on Tuesday after the court considered the evidence presented during the trial.
The condemned persons are Marvellous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Emete Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.
The four defendants had been tried over the alleged abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City on June 14, 2026.
Four defendants convicted
Isaac, described by the prosecution as the alleged leader of the gang, was prosecuted alongside Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael.
The defendants had faced charges connected with kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
Earlier in the trial, the prosecution called seven witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including a pump-action firearm, a Lexus SUV and electronic evidence.
The prosecution also presented evidence relating to the alleged communication between members of the group.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges during the proceedings.
Court delivers first major judgment
The case was the first kidnapping matter to reach judgment before the Edo Special Criminal Court, which was established to accelerate the trial of kidnapping and cultism cases in the state.
The court had completed the defence and final-address stages before fixing September 29 for judgment.
The judgment comes against the backdrop of the Edo State Government’s push for faster prosecution of kidnapping and cult-related offences.
The court also imposed other custodial sentences in connection with the charges and gave directions concerning exhibits recovered during the investigation.
The firearms tendered in evidence were ordered to be handed over to the Federal Government, according to the report of the judgment.
The ruling marks a significant development in the prosecution of the case arising from the Vegetable Market abduction.
Further details of the court’s findings and the specific sentences on the individual counts are expected to emerge from the full judgment.
