Court jails cop for killing student

An Edo State High Court in Benin on Monday sentenced a police corporal, Amadin Idahosa, to life imprisonment for killing a 22-year-old student, Ibrahim Momodu, in 2013.

Idahosa had been arraigned on one count of murder.

He was said to have committed the offence at about 11pm, on May 27, 2013, in Benin.

It was learnt that the corporal had shot Momodu, said to be a student of the University of Benin, at Obayuwana junction.

The state prosecutor from the Department of Public Prosecutions, M. O. Omozeghian, had during the trial told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap. 48, Vol. II, Law of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, as applicable in Edo State.

But counsel to Idahosa, Mr. Olayiwola Afolabi, had urged the court to dismiss the charge against the accused, arguing that the prosecutor had failed to prove the allegation.

The presiding judge, Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh, in her judgement, dismissed the allegation of murder due to the inability of the state prosecutor to prove the case.

She, however, sentenced the accused to life imprisonment.

However, the defence counsel said his client would appeal the judgment.

Punch