BENIN CITY: The Edo State Special Criminal Court sitting in Benin City has convicted four persons for kidnapping and armed robbery, in what could be considered a test-case judgment since the court was established in July 2026.
They are Marvelous Isaac (M), Wisdom Michael (M), Rufus Michael (M) and Gift Raphael (F), who are the first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively in suit No. B/CD/5/106c/2026.
They were brought before the court on 11 counts bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms and armed robbery.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Aigbona Jerry Momodu said the prosecution, led by the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Roland Otaru, had proved the case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Momodu said he relied on Section 4(2) of the Edo State Secret Cult and Similar Activities Law, Section 2(1) of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law of Edo State 2009, as amended, and Section 128 of the Armed Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act.
The judgment, which lasted for almost three hours, was relayed live on major television stations across the country.
Justice Momodu observed that all the defendants made confessional statements to the police during interrogation, although they pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.
He said that during the trial, all the defendants testified in their own defence but did not call any witnesses, while the prosecution called seven witnesses and tendered 15 exhibits.
The exhibits tendered by the prosecution included statements made by the defendants, video footage capturing the scene of a kidnapping incident at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road, on June 14, 2026, eyewitness accounts and firearms, including two live cartridges allegedly found in their possession.
The video footage of the kidnapping incident reportedly attracted the attention of the Inspector-General of Police, who called for a thorough investigation.
The gang leader, Marvelous Isaac, who reportedly escaped from prison during the 2020 #EndSARS protest, is the CSO of Urehi Community.
He was found guilty on all 11 counts, including membership of the Eiye Confraternity, described in the judgment as an outlawed group under the state’s anti-cultism law.
Recall that on June 14, 2026, four gunmen, including the first, second and third defendants and one late Precious, allegedly used an SUV to abduct Mrs Oseghale Ofure Precious at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road.
She was reportedly released on June 27, 2026, after the kidnappers allegedly dispossessed her of jewellery worth several millions of naira and collected N8 million as ransom.
On April 23, 2026, the four defendants, armed with offensive weapons, also allegedly robbed Owenaze Idehen Paul of his Lexus 350 car.
Similarly, on March 26, 2026, at Ekenwan Road, Benin City, they allegedly robbed Lawani Alex of N35,000, a Tecno phone and his car key while armed with dangerous weapons. He was later released after ransom payment by his family.
In March 2025, at Oreoghene Street, off Siluko Road, Benin City, the defendants also allegedly kidnapped Blessing Nosa and, after collecting N25 million in ransom from her family, handed her over to another kidnapping group, which reportedly collected an additional N5 million before releasing her.
