An Edo High Court on Monday sentenced three
people to death by hanging over the murder of a
three-year-old girl.

The convicts, Betty Stephen, the stepmother, and
the two teachers- Johnson Ogbeide and Nancy
Aiwuyor, committed the offence on February 24,
2009, at Erhiborhibo village, Orhionmwon Local
Government Area of Edo.

The judge, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, in her
judgment said the prosecution proved its case
beyond reasonable doubt.

She said 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.

Reviewing the evidence placed before her, the judge
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.

According to judge, “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.

The court also sentenced the convicts to 14-year
jail term each for the offence of child stealing.

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