An Edo High Court on Monday, sentenced three people to death by hanging over the murder of a three-year-old girl.
Betty Stephen, the stepmother of a three-year-old girl, and two teachers identified as Johnson Ogbeide and Nancy Aiwuyor, have been sentenced to death by hanging, by Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, at an Edo State High Court on Monday over the murder of a young babygirl for ritual.
The offence was reportedly committed on February 24, 2009, at Erhiborhibo village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to Premium Times, in her judgment, the judge said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that the prosecution proved that the stepmother gave the three-year-old girl to Ogbeide, who in turn handed over the baby to his colleague, Aiwuyor, to be sold for ritual purposes.
The court judge who reviewed the evidence placed before her, said the child was left in the custody of her stepmother by her parents who went to farm on the day the child was killed.
“When the victim’s parents returned, they could not find the child, only for the stepmother to confess that she stole the child to the two other convicts,” she said.
The judge also said that the prosecution established that the victim was sold for N1.5 million, her nine fingers cut off, her hair shaved as directed for the ritual.
“Seven years after the victim disappeared in the hands of the convicts without being found, the court was safe to hold that the child was dead. The acts of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused persons which caused the death of the deceased were unlawful,” Mrs. Imadegbelo said.
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