A routine trip to the vegetable market on Airport Road in Benin City turned into a living nightmare for one woman on June 14, 2026, when she was snatched in broad daylight.
Months later, that terrifying ordeal has brought a definitive end to the road for her captors as Justice Terry Momodu Aigbona of the Edo State Special Criminal Court 1 on Tuesday, delivered a chilling message to criminal syndicates operating in the state, sentencing a 27-year-old woman and three men to death by hanging.
The convicts—identified as 32-year-old Marvellous Isaac, 36-year-old Wisdom Michael, 30-year-old Rufus Emete Michael, and 27-year-old Gift Raphael—thought they could outsmart the law.
However, airtight evidence, exhibits, and gripping testimonies from the victims themselves tore down their defense during the trial.
This landmark ruling marks a historic milestone for the Edo State judiciary. It is one of the first major verdicts delivered by the newly minted Special Criminal Court, which was established specifically to tackle the rising tide of kidnapping and cultism.
Born out of a swift collaborative effort between Governor Monday Okpebholo and Chief Judge Justice Daniel Okungbowa, the court opened its doors to fast-track justice on July 1, 2026.
For the people of Benin City, Tuesday’s judgment serves as a powerful reassurance that the wheels of justice are spinning faster and hitting harder against violent crime.
