Aiyedatiwa hails judgment

The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, sentenced to death by hanging four out of the five terrorists that attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in which 43 worshippers were killed.

The convicted persons include Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years) and Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years), while Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years) was discharged and acquitted of all the charges.

Justice Emeka Nwite pronounced the four terrorists guilty of the nine-count charges.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, described the conviction of the terrorists as a victory for the innocent victims.

Aiyedatiwa, who stressed that justice has prevailed, commended the prosecution team, as well as the courage of the judiciary, since the commencement of the trial.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said that the development was an indicator that the government would not tolerate acts of terror or violence against its people.

It would be recalled that 43 persons were gruesomely murdered and many were injured on June 5, 2022, when the daredevil gunmen rained bullets on the worshippers during service in the community.

Aiyedatiwa reassured all residents that his administration would continue to work closely with the security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, protect public spaces, and ensure such the tragedy never repeats itself in the state.

The governor, however, said the judgment had provided a measure of closure and hope that justice is possible.

He prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and for God’s comfort for the families they left behind.

The convicts, during their arraignment, had pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges, prompting the Federal Government to open a full-blown trial, having secured an accelerated trial order from the court.

The Federal Government called 11 witnesses, comprising both eyewitnesses during the attack and security operatives who used call locations and network towers to fish out the convicts.

The government tendered 23 exhibits, including confessional extra-judicial statements made by the convicts during interrogation that were witnessed by a Legal Aid Council lawyer, Daniel Hassan.

At the close of the Federal Government’s case, the convicts decided to defend themselves without calling any witnesses to support their defence.

However, while reviewing the case, Justice Nwite found that the four convicted persons in 2021 joined a proscribed Al-Shabab terrorist group through one Odoba and held a meeting at Government High School in Ogaminana in Adavi Local Council of Kogi State, where the decision to launch the attack against the church was taken.

The court also found as a fact that the final onslaught against the church was perfected at a place near Owo in Ondo State.

Similarly, the judge held that the Federal Government established beyond a reasonable doubt that the four convicted persons detonated an improvised explosive device that killed 43 people instantly and caused bodily harm to 163 other worshippers.

Besides, the judge said that the evidence against the convicted persons was credible, cogent, positive, verifiable, and compelling, warranting their convictions.

Justice Nwite dismissed the claims of the convicted persons that their extra-judicial statements were made under duress and inducement, adding that their signatures and thumbprints on the statements cannot support their denial.