Two policemen were yesterday sentenced to death by an Ado- Ekiti High Court for killing two members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The cops, Mr. Ameh Richard and Akinyede Olaiya, who are to die by hanging were found guilty of killing Kehinde Faluyi and Michael Ipinlaye who were supporters of PDP during a fight over the defacement of posters in Omuo Ekiti on March 23, 2011.
Delivering his judgment yesterday, the trial judge, Justice Abiodun Adesodun said that the evidence of the accused persons were contradictory, which according to him vitiated their evidence.
Justice Adesodun noted that there were sharp contradictions in the sentenced persons’ confessional statements when they were being grilled by the police and their oral testimonies when cross examined in Court.
The evidences supplied by the prosecution counsels, Messrs Femi Onipede and Omope Oluwanitemi according to the judge were overwhelming and convincing enough for him to grant their relief.
“The prosecution counsels have proved their case beyond reasonable doubt and the accused persons are hereby sentenced to death by hanging”, Justice Adesodun said.
It would be recalled that a violent clash had erupted between the PDP and Action Congress of Nigeria on March 23, 2011 at Kota Junction in Omuo Ekiti over alleged defacement of posters belonging to PDP aspirants in the Community.
The sentenced cops, who were part of the security drafted to the town to maintain order and bring normalcy back to the town, were alleged to have shot the two persons while one died on the spot, the other was said to have died at the hospital.
Following the murder, a PDP Chieftain in the town, Hon Femi Bamisile with some members of the party had stormed the government office in Ado Ekiti with the lifeless body of one of the deceased accusing the State Government of masterminding the killing.
The killer cops were subsequently arrested and prosecuted for committing the heinous crime.
