The convicts, Godwin Obidah, 25, Thomas Bitrus,27, and Hananiya Ezra, 30, of Tashan Rake village in Yola south Local Government Area were slammed with death sentence after they were found guilty of killing Pastor Hammanjulde Dadon, over royalty on plaster sand in the village.
They were earlier arraigned in court on 2 count charge bordering alleged criminal conspiracy punishable under section 97(1) of the state penal code law, 2018, and 79 and 221(1) of the same law.
But when Godwin, father of 3 and an okada rider, Thomas, a farmer and Hanani, a labourer were arraigned in court, each pleaded not guilty to the 2 count charge, and in an effort to prove it case, the prosecution assembled 6 witnesses who testified in court and tendered the confessional statements of the defendants and now convicts in evidence.
According to 2 count charge preferred against them, the convicts and one Dahiru Mohammed (still at large) were alleged to have agreed to use criminal force on anyone that did not tow their line regarding the payment of royalty relating to the use of sand in the community.
In furtherance of their common intention and use of criminal force, the young men on the 23rd March, 2017, attacked the man of God with sticks and cutlass with the knowledge that death would be the probable consequence of their acts.
In his confessional statement, Hananiya Ezra said that Godwin Obidah had on the fateful day asked him to accompany him to kill the pastor over a disputed land which the later eventually won at court.
He stated that he agreed and armed himself with a stick while the 2nd convict(Thomas Bitrus) who had a motorcycle carried the 1st convict (Godwin Obidah) who was also armed with a stick for action.
Hananiya narrated that he also saw one strange Fulani man, Dahiru Mohammed who was recruited by Godwin Obidah for the operation armed with a cutlass and trekking towards the scene of the incident.
According to him, they saw the deceased behind a Primary School with a lot of people, and that upon approaching him, Godwin Obidah hit the man of God with the stick, and then the Fulani man rushed in with his cutlass and matcheted pastor Hammajulde leading to his death.
He added that after killing the pastor, they immediately fled the scene, but unknown to them that they were identified by onlookers including the son of the pastor known as Babangida Hammajulde who later reported the matter to police which led to their arrest.
Delivering its judgement on the matter, the court presided over by Honourable Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri, declared that from the totality if the evidence adduced by the prosecution and the arguments canvassed on both sides as well as the confessional statements of the defendants, it is a well considered judgement that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the 2 count charge against each if the defendants and convicted them as charge.
Justice Waziri held that there are enough evidences that each of the defendants and now convicts participated in one way or the other in the commission of the crime, and that the court has found them guilty on count one of the charge and therefore convicted them accordingly.
He stated that the court has carefully considered the convicts' plea for mercy, but that his hand are tied down as the penal code law does not give him discretion to go for less.
Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri added that the convicts bring young persons, he will make recommendations to the executive Governor to look into their plight, and that each convict is sentenced to death by hanging at the pleasure of the Governor.
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