Stepmother, 2 teachers sentenced to death for killing 3-yr-old girl in Edo

isaac dachen

July 19, 2016 2:14 PM

A woman who connived and sold her stepdaughter to be killed for rituals has been sentenced to death in Edo State.

Also sentenced alongside Stephen by the president of the court, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, were her accomplices, Johnson Ogbeide and Nancy Aiwuyor, both of them school teachers for conspiracy and the murder of the toddler.

In her judgment, Justice Imadegbelo, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that it was clear that Stephen gave out the three-year-old girl to Ogbeide, who in turn handed her over to his colleague, Aiwuyor, to be sold for ritual purposes.

While reviewing the evidence before her, the judge said the child was left in the custody of her stepmother by her parents who went to the farm on the day she 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 and handed her over to the two other convicts.

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 prosecution has also established that the victim was sold for N1.5 million, her nine fingers cut off and her hair shaved as directed for the ritual.

The acts of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused persons, which caused the death of the deceased were unlawful.

They are hereby sentenced to death by hanging,” Justice Imadegbelo handed down.

Also Read: "Pay Back Time: Kenyan woman to die by hanging for killing 8-yr-old stepdaughter"

She also sentenced each of the convicts to 14-year jail terms for the offence of child stealing.

isaac dachen