A High Court sitting in Benin City has sentenced five men to death by hanging for their roles in the abduction and killing of lawyer Iyoha Osobase, a case that has drawn years of attention in Edo State’s legal circles.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Efe Ikpomwonba of the Edo State High Court in Charge No. B/CD/136C/22, involving the State against Valentine Dibie and five others.
The court found that the prosecution successfully proved charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder against five of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt. Based on this finding, the court imposed the death sentence by hanging alongside other custodial penalties.
One of the accused, Solomon Esuike, was however discharged and acquitted after the court held that the evidence presented did not sufficiently link him to the crime.
According to the court, while the case against the convicted defendants was firmly established through the prosecution’s evidence, the same standard was not met in relation to Esuike, leading to his release.
The case dates back to May 9, 2020, when Osobase was abducted in Benin City, assaulted, killed, and buried in a shallow grave in the Aduwawa area. The incident triggered widespread concern within the legal community and renewed calls for accountability in violent crime cases involving professionals.
Esuike’s defence team, led by Douglas Ogbankwa alongside A.P. Uzor and S.A. Idemudia, argued successfully for his acquittal during the proceedings, which spanned several years.
The prosecution was handled by Orobosa Okunbor, a former Director of Public Prosecutions in Edo State, who presented witnesses and documentary evidence in support of the charges.
The case also attracted national attention at various stages, including public remarks by Festus Keyamo, who had called for thorough investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the killing.
The verdict brings closure to a trial that has remained one of the most closely followed criminal proceedings in Edo State in recent years.
