Edo Court sentences four to death for kidnapping, cultism

An Edo State Special Criminal Court sitting in Benin City has sentenced four persons to death over their convictions on multiple counts arising from the kidnapping of a woman and other violent offences.

The convicts are Marvellous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Emete Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.

Justice Aigbona Terry Momodu delivered the judgment on Tuesday after more than three hours of proceedings in the court’s maiden judgment in a kidnapping case.

The four defendants had been prosecuted on an 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The case arose from the broad-daylight abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City, on June 14, 2026. The victim was subsequently released unharmed.

In the course of the trial, the prosecution called seven witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including a Lexus RX 350 SUV allegedly used in the operation, a pump-action firearm, cartridges, a mobile phone and video evidence.

Delivering judgment, Justice Momodu convicted Isaac, described in the prosecution’s case as the leader of the syndicate, on all 11 counts.

The court sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on count one, death by hanging or lethal injection on counts two to nine, 10 years’ imprisonment on count 10 and life imprisonment on count 11.

The second defendant, Wisdom Michael, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death by hanging or lethal injection on counts two to nine.

Rufus Emete Michael received seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death sentences on counts two, three, four, six and seven.

The fourth defendant, Gift Raphael, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on count one and death sentences on counts two, four, six and eight.

The court also ordered the confiscation of the pump-action firearm and cartridges tendered as exhibits and directed that they be handed over to the Edo State Police Armourer for destruction within 30 days.

The judgment represents the first reported verdict of the Edo State Special Criminal Court established to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases.

The defendants had earlier denied the allegations against them and were represented by defence counsel during the trial. The prosecution closed its case after calling seven witnesses before the defence opened its case in July.

With the delivery of the judgment, the trial court has now determined the case at first instance, subject to any further legal steps available to the convicts under the law.

The case followed the June 14, 2026 abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City.

Police investigations subsequently led to the arrest of the four defendants and the recovery of items said to be connected with the alleged operation.

The Edo State Special Criminal Court was created to facilitate the speedy determination of kidnapping, cultism and related violent-crime cases.

The trial of the four defendants became one of the court’s early major cases before its maiden judgment was delivered on September 29, 2026.