Three Kidnappers of Lagos monarch get death sentence

Three young men who kidnapped a Lagos monarch, Oba Yushau Goriola Oseni, the Oniba of Iba, have been sentenced to death on Wednesday.

The convicts are; Duba Furejo alias General Cuba (who is now paralysed), Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh.

According to GuardianngJustice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja handed down this judgement in hour-long proceedings.

The trial judge said she found all the convicts guilty of all charges against them.

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Among the charges against the trio were armed robbery, attempted murder, murder and kidnapping.

According to her, “I believe the offence of conspiracy, attempted murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. I therefore find them guilty as charged. This is the judgement of the Court,” she said.

While pleading for the second defendant, in the alocutus for the trio, defence counsel, Mr. G. O Eguaroje stated that the convicts were first offenders and as such the judge should give them a sentence of death by hanging.

In a response, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, Prosecuting Counsel and Solicitor-General of Lagos State argued that maximum sentence be given to commensurate with the offences.

She explained that, “ A heinous crime of kidnapping does not only terrorize the victim but terrorize the society. Nobody is safe. Consequently, a clear statement should be made that Lagos State has no zero tolerance for murders and robbers.

Conspiracy to murder 10 years Conspiracy to commit kidnap 10 years each armed robbery – Life imprisonment Kidnapping 21 years imprisonment. This is the ruling of the Court.

Sentence to run concurrently, she said