3 herdsmen sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery, rape, others

A Minna High Court No 3, has sentenced three Fulani herders to death by hanging over alleged armed robbery, culpable homicide, rape, among other heinous offences in the state.

The suspects included Mohammed Ibrahim Soja, Sani Idris Boka, and Babangida Gido.

They were arraigned and found guilty on ten-count charge of armed robbery, culpable homicide, rape, among other heinous offences in the state brought against them by men of the Niger State Police command.

In December 2015, the trio were said to have robbed one Josephine Monday, while armed with guns, cutlasses, knives and sticks of the sum of over N1 million cash, recharge cards value at about N20,000 and her husband’s N58,000 given to her for safe keeping at Waugu village in Shiroro Local Government area of Niger State.

The presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed, while delivering his judgement, stated that the evidences and prosecuting witnesses in the case have been “so consistent and explainative, even as the evidence of prosecuting witness is believable.”

He said, “Accordingly, I hold that all the ingredients of the offences of rape, attempt to commit culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt and armed robbery have been proved against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

“As such they have been sentenced to death by hanging, life imprisonment for the offence of rape and ten years imprisonment for causing grievous hurt and all the sentences to run consecutively”.