A dismissed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officer, Joseph Omotosho, who was accused of killing a businessman, “Benson Obodeh,” and stealing ₦300,000 from his bank account, has been sentenced to death by hanging; courtesy of a High Court ruling in Benin, capital of Edo State.
Omotosho, who was attached to the defunct SARS team of the Edo State Police Command, reportedly killed Obodeh, a car dealer, in 2015, and went ahead to withdraw the said amount of money from the deceased account, after he had obtained his ATM PIN.
While delivering judgment, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele described testimonies provided by the Prosecution as firm, and almost unchallenged.
“Therefore, the judgment was based on absolute fact, which the court absorbed as presented by the prosecuting counsel and all witnesses that appeared before the court,” Justice Ovbiagele said.
The judge pointed out that the defendant could not substantiate counter evidence against the charges levelled against him.
Omotosho was also slammed a seven-years imprisonment for his role in stealing the the dead person’s money from his bank accounts.
The deceased was said to have been listed among suspected criminal gangs, who allegedly stole a Peugeot car.
Following the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel Abraham Oviawe made a remark regarding the court’s verdict; he said, “What happened today is a confirmation of the biblical position that says the wages of sin is death.
“So, when one conspires to take the life of another man, with overwhelming evidence, the court has no option but to reach the verdict it reached.”
Ifesinachi Nnabugwu reporting, Obinwannem News
