Justice Mahmud Mohammed, Chief justice of Nigeria

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

An Edo State High Court sitting in Abudu, has sentenced a step mother and two teachers to death by hanging for conspiracy and killing of a three-year-old baby girl for ritual.

They are also to spend 14 years jail for the offence of child stealing.

‎The convicts, Betty Stephen, Johnson Ogbeide and Nancy Aiwuyor, were said to have committed the crime on February 24, 2009 at Erhiborhibo village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State.

The trial Judge, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, who handed down the sentence, said the Prosecution led evidence to the fact that the step mother of the victim gave the three-year-old baby girl to one of the teachers, Johnson Ogbeide, who in turn gave same to his colleague, Nancy Aiwuyor, to be sold for ritual purposes.

The court held that the parents of the victim left the child in the custody of her step mother and went to farm that fateful day but when they returned,  they couldn’t find the child only for the step mother to confess that she and the other convicts stole the child.

It also held that the prosecution established that the victim was sold for the sum N1,500,000 and thereafter her nine fingers were cut off while her hair was also shaved as directed for the ritual.

According to the court, seven years after the victim disappeared in the hands of the convicts without being found, it was safe to hold that the child was dead.

“In the instant case Exhibits B to D coupled with the evidence of the Prosecution witnesses and in particular the confessional statement of the DW2 on how the ritual was to be performed and the disposal of the remains all support the proof of the Prosecution’s case that the victim is dead.

“In the circumstances the DW1, DW2 and DW5 cannot exculpate themselves from the disappearance and death of the deceased.  The acts of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused persons which caused the death of the deceased was unlawful,” Justice Imadegbelo said.