Ekiti court sentences Boko Haram member to death by hanging for killing Policeman

One Abdulsalam Adinoyi (35), a confessed member of Boko Haram has been sentenced to death by hanging in Ado Ekiti.

He was sentenced by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye of Ekiti State High Court.

In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant, thus, implying his culpability in all the charges against him.

Adinoyi was charged and arraigned on five count charges bothering on Armed Robbery, Murder, Terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms, contrary to sections 1 (2) (a) and 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap C16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, also Sections 316 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Sections 11 and 12 of the Ekiti State Kidnapping and Terrorism (Prohibition Law), 2015.

According to the charge, Abdulsalam Adinoyi who hails from Okene in Kogi State, between 22nd of December, 2016 and 20th March, 2017 while armed with a gun, attacked and robbed Sergeant Gana Jiya and other Police Officers at Check Point in Oye Ekiti, murdered Sergeant Gana Jiya on the spot while other Police Officers on duty sustained serious degree of gun wounds and carted away two AK-47 Assaulted Riffle, launched terrorism attack on people of Ekiti State and his environs, confessed to being a member of Boko Haram and unlawfully in possession of an AK-47 Assault Rifle among others.

”The sole issues for determination are accordingly resolved in favour of the prosecution. The defendant is hereby found guilty as charged, he is accordingly sentenced to death by hanging in counts 1, 2 and 3, may Almighty God have mercy on his soul. He is also sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in count 4 and ten years imprisonment in count 5 with N10,000.00 as an option of fine, he concluded.’’

In his confessional statement, Adinoyi said, members of his group named Abu Uwais and Aminu a.k.a. Idi-Amin, now at large were planning for an operation, when Police Officers came to his house, it was searched and the AK-47 an Assault Rifle was recovered among other items.

To prove his case, the Prosecutor, Gbemiga Adaramola called five witnesses including Police officers who were at the scene while exhibits tendered includesd an AK-47 Assault Rifle, statement of the defendants and the victims, photographs, Compact Discs containing Boko Haram trainings, 5 Sim Cards and packs, Flash drives, empty bullet shells, medical reports among others.

The defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel and called no witnesses.