A Makurdi High Court in Benue State has sentenced two persons to death by hanging for the kidnap and murder of a former Vicar-General of the Otukpo Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. John Alexander Adeyi.
The convicts – Suleiman Goma (30) and Haruna Idi (32), of Orokam, Ogbadigbo Local Government Area, were sued by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris.
Justice Andover Kakaan noted the prosecution was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution called eight witnesses.
According to him, the evidence presented proved the convicts conspired and kidnapped Fr Adeiyi, took him to Okungaga forest in Okpokwu where they demanded N2 million, and eventually killed him after collecting a N1.5 million.
Justice Kakaan said three guns – two pistols and a dane gun – as well as charms, were recovered from the forest.
Goma admitted to buying the pistol for robbery and kidnapping.
On April 26, Fr. Adeyi was kidnapped on the Otukpo/Okpokwu road, and taken to a forest where he was killed after the culprits collected N1.5 million.
His body was dumped in a forest.