Court sentences ex-soldiers to death by hanging for killing Yobe Islamic cleric
Story from Husaini Mohammed ISA
Yobe State High Court sitting in Potiskum has sentenced a dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal John Gabriel, to death by hanging and Lance Corporal Adamu Gideon to ten years imprisonment for the murder of a prominent Islamic scholar based in Gashua, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in August 2022.
The suspects, who committed the heinous act while serving in the Nigerian Army, were immediately dismissed from service.
The suspects had their ranks reduced from lance corporal to private before their complete dismissal.
The Army through the Acting Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Abdullahi Osabo said the suspects were found guilty on two-count charges; namely: failure to perform military duties; and conduct to prejudice of service discipline.
Handing over the sentence, Justice Usman Zanna Mohammed convicted Mr Gabriel with Nigerian Army number, N/A13/69/6522 attached to 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru and Mr Gideon after he found them guilty of the offences of murder and conspiracy respectively.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Army dismisses 2 soldiers over murder of Yobe Islamic cleric
Delivering the judgement, Justice Mohammed held that after careful consideration of the facts before the court and the failure of the defendants to provide essential witnesses to corroborate their claims, sentenced the two convicts in line with the provisions of the law.
Neptune Prime reports that in August 2022, the Yobe State Police Command arrested Lance Corporal John Gabriel with service number N/A13/69/1522 and Lance Corporal Adamu Gideon N/A13/70/6552, both attached to 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State for killing a renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Baba Goni Aisami in cold blood while trying to snatch his car.
The duo brutally murdered the cleric in Karasuwa Local Government Area of the state after he gave them a lift while on his way to Gashua from Kano.
Angered by the action of the ex-soldiers, the Yobe State Government through the Ministry of Justice took the matter to court which led to the final judgement.
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