Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A Benin High Court has ordered the execution of two persons by hanging in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Professor Paul Erie in 2015.
The university professor before his death in the hands of his captors worked in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State.
Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele handed down the sentence on the two persons, while delivering judgement in the case brought before him by the government.
He, however, discharged and acquitted four other accused persons, Amayo Jeremiah, Ejime Oyakhire, Stephen Usiagwu aka “Finish and Go,” Eboigbe Monday popularly called “Yawa.”
The duo is to die by hanging or lethal injection, according to the court which held that there was weighty evidence linking them to the crime.
The convicts and four others were charged to court over the murder of Prof. Paul Erie.
Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, noted that the two main actors in the kidnapping and murder of the don were convicted because the evidence of the prosecutor was overwhelming and linked the two accused persons to the crime.
Prof. Erie was on June 16, 2015, kidnapped in Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, murdered and buried after his captors collected ransom from his family.
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