The Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday sentenced the leader of a six-man land grabbing gang, Mohammed Sani Audu to death by hanging.
He was alleged to have stabbed one Hussein Isa to death over a land dispute.
The trial judge and Chief Judge of of Kogi State, Justice Nasir Ajanah handed down the sentence upon conviction of the accused in a case of culpable homicide preferred against him.
“The sentence of the court upon you, Mohammed Sani Audu, is that you be hanged by the neck until you are certified dead or by lethal injection”, said Ajanah.
Earlier in his judgement, Justice Ajanah said that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore, convicted the accused accordingly.
Audu of Kaduna Junction, Adavi Local Government Area, Kogi State was charged with culpable homicide, contrary to section 221(a) of the Penal Code Law, and punishable with death.
The convict, according to the prosecution, led a six-man gang to a disputed land, between the families of the deceased and one of the convict’s gang member, Momoh-Jimoh Abaniki.
The deceased was said to have challenged the presence of the accused and others on the land, and objected to its parcelling for the purpose of selling it.
Hussein was said to have returned home to inform his brother, Ozovehe Isa and other family members, what happened, while the accused was alleged to have also arrived to challenge the deceased, to repeat what he earlier said.
Altercation ensued and the accused was said to have stabbed the deceased and inflicted machete cuts to the head, while other members of the gang kicked out at him, resulting in his death on the following at the hospital.
The prosecution raised three issues for determination, including, whether the death of a human being had occurred; whether it was caused by the accused and whether the act was done with the intention of causing death. All the issues were resolved in favour of the prosecution after consideration of evidences presented before the court.
The accused had in his statement had admitted thus: “Myself and other five members, I mentioned above in my statement attacked Osivave Isa and his brother, Hussein Isa, the deceased, over a land matter between them and one of my gang members, Momoh-Jimoh Abanika aka Mopol Team Leader.
“I did not collect money from anybody before I matcheted and killed Hussein Isa and he is the first person I have ever killed. I promise not to involve myself in any criminal act again”.
