A Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Lafia has sentenced Saidu Idi to death by hanging for his role in a 2015 armed robbery that led to the killing of a resident of Kokona Local Government Area.
Idi was found guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide in connection with the death of Hardo Adamu Buli, who was killed during the operation carried out over a decade ago.
Delivering judgment, the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Aisha Mohammed Usman, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ruled that the evidence before it clearly established that the accused unlawfully caused the death of the victim during the robbery.
Justice Usman stated that the sentence was in line with the provisions of the relevant criminal laws of the state, adding that the gravity of the offence left the court with no option but to impose the maximum punishment prescribed by law.
Speaking after the judgment, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Barrister Isaac Danladi, who personally led the prosecution team, said the verdict marked the end of a case that had lasted for more than 11 years.
“Justice has been served in a matter that lingered for over a decade. This judgment sends a clear message that violent crimes will not go unpunished in Nasarawa State,” he said.
Danladi explained that the defendant was initially charged with criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide. He said the court discharged Idi on the conspiracy count but convicted him on the remaining charges.
“At the end of the trial, the court discharged the defendant on the conspiracy charge but found him guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide. He was accordingly sentenced to death by hanging,” the Attorney General stated.
He further disclosed that the victim was shot before being dispossessed of his valuables and money during the robbery.
However, defence counsel, Chidi Okorie Kanu, faulted the judgment, alleging inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case. He said the defence team would study the ruling and take further legal steps.
“This litigation does not end here. While we appreciate the efforts of the court and acknowledge that a case of over 11 years has come to an end at the trial level, we are not satisfied with the judgment and will pursue an appeal,” Kanu said.
