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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
A Plateau State High Court has sentenced Sergeant Ruya Auta to death for the shooting and killing of a 300-level University of Jos student, Rinji Bala.
The police officer was found guilty of culpable homicide.
Delivering the judgement in Jos on Tuesday, Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, ruled that the convict would face execution either by hanging or lethal injection.
The court based its decision on a thorough review of the prosecution’s evidence, witness testimonies, and its evaluation of the circumstances surrounding the case. The sentence was described as a step to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability, particularly regarding unlawful use of force and firearms.
Rinji Bala, a 300-level student at the University of Jos, was shot dead on 12 May 2020 by Auta after being taken into custody with two friends near the Hwolshe area of Jos during the COVID-19 lockdown.
It was established that Bala and his friends were apprehended, searched, and taken into custody, although no incriminating evidence was found. After being beaten and released, they were told to run, at which point Rinji was shot, resulting in his immediate death.
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Following the judgement, Dr Garba Pwul, SAN, prosecuting counsel for the state, remarked that justice had been served.
“The judgement was actually expected as the convict didn’t deny the offence; he, however, claimed it was an accidental discharge. The prosecution was able to prove that the convict intended to shoot the victim, as the shot entered from the back, around the waist,” he said.
Responding to the judgement, Mr Peter Bala, father of the late Rinji, noted that while no rational person would celebrate the death of another, the law had to run its course.
“The truth is the law is the law; that is all I can say,” Bala stated.
Auta’s grieving father also expressed hope that the ruling would deter negligent security personnel.
