The court sitting in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area, convicted the defendants of murder, armed robbery, and rape offences after a protracted trial which took eight years.
Justice M.O. Omovie of the Delta State High Court has convicted and sentenced two men namely Mr. Ojerbo Solomon and Mr. Ola Babatunde, to death by hanging.
The court sitting in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area, convicted the defendants of murder, armed robbery, and rape offences after a protracted trial which took eight years.
The prosecution, led by Mr. E.H. Edema, presented evidence through five witnesses, demonstrating that on February 8, 2016, the defendants, armed with firearms, cutlasses, and knives, burglarised the victims’ residence and perpetrated the heinous crimes.
The prosecution had told the court that “In the course of the armed robbery, the defendants raped the victims and thereafter slit their throats.
“One of the victims, Mr Praise Sunday, survived the attack, but his mother and sister died from the attack.
“After committing the attack, the two defendants escaped on the victim’s motorcycle to Ewohimi in Edo State, from where they were later apprehended by the police,” he said
In the course of the trial, the two defendants gave evidence in their defence and denied the allegation in their testimony but called no witnesses.
Delivering judgement on Monday, Justice Omovie held that after carefully evaluating all the evidence presented at the trial, the court concluded that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt against the two defendants.
“Accordingly, the defendants are hereby convicted as charged. The two defendants are hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”
