NIGERIA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KIDNAPPING LAGOS MONARCH, KILLING PALACE GUARD

November 15, 2019:

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on 13 November 2019 sentenced to death three men who kidnapped a Lagos monarch and killed his palace guard.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo sentenced Duba Fureso, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh, who kidnapped the Oniba of Iba, Oba Oseni Goriola, murdered his 72-year-old palace guard, Mr Sunday Okanlawon, and attempted to murder the monarch’s wife, Bosede.
The convicts also murdered a motorcyclist, Mr Joseph Okeke.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Taiwo sentenced the convicts to death for murder, life sentence for attempted murder, and 21 years’ imprisonment for kidnap.
The judge also sentenced them to various prison terms for conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery that occurred when they kidnapped the royal father on July 16, 2016.
Miss Titilayo Shitta-Bey, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice and lead prosecutor, had submitted that the convicts and others still at large, committed the offences on July 16, 2016 at 6.00p.m. at the palace of the monarch in Iba, Lagos.
According to her, the convicts, while armed with guns, stormed the palace to abduct the monarch.
She said that during the abduction, the assailants, shot the queen, who tried to stop them, in the abdomen.