An Akure High Court Friday found three men guilty over the kidnap and murder of an 18-month-old baby, Rachael Akingboye.
Thus the trio Olusegun Obaro, Jonah Lase and Theophilus Friday were sentence to die by hanging.
The condemned persons orchestrated their heinous plans and abducted the deceased baby from her parent’s residence at Ikorigho in Igbokoda on the night of June 17, 2011.
The remains of Baby Akingboye were said to have been dumped near her parent’s house with her right eye, right ear, right chest and the right part of her scalp missing.
Though, the convicts had pleaded not guilty to the charges at the commencement of the trial, Justice Odusola in his judgment, opined and ruled that the totality of the evidence before him showed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubts that the three accused persons were responsible for the death of the baby.
Justice Odusola: “The offences for which the accused were charged are strict liability offences. Death penalty is the punishment for each of the counts. Having found the first and second accused guilty of both counts, the third accused is guilty of murder.
“I hereby sentence Olusegun Obaro, Jonah Lase and Theophilus Friday to death by hanging”.
The trio were arraigned on a two-count charge of kidnapping and murdering of Baby Akingboye, “contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of the Ondo State Anti-Kidnapping and Abduction Law 2010, and murder contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State”.
He said: