A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Andover Kakaan, has convicted and sentenced two persons, Suleiman Goma and Haruna Idi, to death by hanging for the kidnap and murder of Rev. Fr. Alexander Adeiyi, former Vicar-General of Otukpo Catholic Diocese in 2016.
The duo had, on April 26, 2016, between Otukpo and Okpokwu Road, abducted Fr. Adeyi, took him to a forest and after collecting huge ransom for his release, killed him and dumped his decomposing body in the said forest. Delivering judgment in the suit filed by the Inspector General of Police, the convicts, both of Orokam in Ogbadigbo Local Government of Benue State, Justice Kakaan said: “The prosecution called eight witnesses and proved his case beyond all reasonable doubts against the convicts to warrant their conviction. “The evidence before me proved that the convicts conspired and kidnapped Rev. Fr. Adeiyi and took him to Okungaga Forest in Okpokwu Local Government Area, where they demanded N2 million for his release. “But they eventually killed him after collecting a ransom of N1.5 million.” The trial judge said three guns— two pistols and a Dane gun— as well as charms were recovered from the convicts in the forest where they killed the Rev. Father. Justice Kakaan disclosed that the first convict, Suleiman Goma in his statement, which was tendered in court admitted that he bought the pistols for the purpose of committing robbery and kidnap. He advised youths in the state to desist from criminal acts, but to engage in useful ventures.
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