Death Sentence Awaits Three For Attempting To Kidnap Oniba Of Iba

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced three men to death for kidnapping the Oniba of Iba, Lagos, Oba Yishau Goriola Oseni.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo found the convicts guilty of a seven-count charge brought against them by the state.

The convicts are Duba Furejo alias General Cuba, who is now paralysed, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh.
Delivering judgment in the matter for over one hour Wednesday, Justice Taiwo found the defendants guilty and convicted them of all the seven-count charge against them.

The offences bordered on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and kidnapping.

In his allocutus, defence counsel, Mr. G. O Eguaroje pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convicts.

He stated that the convicts were first time offenders and that the judge should consider the fact in her pronouncement and not sentence them to death by hanging.

Responding, the prosecutor and Solicitor General, Titilayo Shitta-Bey, urged the court to give maximum sentence commensurate with the offences committed by the convicts.
Pronouncing judgement in the matter, Justice Taiwo noted that kidnapping has become prevalent and that it has to be stopped.
She sentenced the convicts to a total of 153 years imprisonment in addition to life imprisonment and death sentence.

Reacting to the judgment of the court, Shitta-Bey said: “We appreciate this judgement and this would send a warning to like minded persons that this is not acceptable in Lagos State as such crime don’t only affect the victims but also the society at large”.