Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has convicted two members of a group of pipeline vandals for the murder of seven operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The convicts, Clement Ododomu and Tiwei Monday, were convicted after Justice Oshodi found them guilty of a 10-count charge of murder and possession of firearms contrary to Sections 223 and 298 (3) of the Criminal Law, Cap. C. A Vol. 3, laws of Lagos State 2015.
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The court found Ododomu (first defendant) guilty of conspiracy to murder, murder and possession of firearms with intent to commit a felony.
Monday (second defendant) was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and failure to report a felony.
The Lagos State government had accused them of killing and burying the DSS operatives: Uzor Nwafor, Kayode Oladimeji, Luke Akande, Adebayo Adeniyi, Benjamin Mafo and Simeon Owolabi while on the line of duty in 2015.
An investigation officer with the DSS, Saheed Adetunji, told the court during trial that seven of a team of nine personnel sent on a kidnap rescue mission were ambushed by vandals and taken captive at Abule Oba.
He said, “The first defendant said they took the seven DSS personnel to their hideout, into the Creeks, called Barracks. He also identified the 2nd defendant, Monday, as a member who used the teargas on the personnel. He also recalled one Godwin Oweli and Prince Sunday as other perpetrators.
“He said that when they got to their Barracks, he shot two of the DSS personnel with a pump-action rifle, while one Agbala shot the remaining five with an AK47.
“The dead bodies were buried in three separate graves. The first defendant said that some Ijaw boys dug the graves, and three slim operatives were packed in one. And the bigger ones were put in twos into the other graves.”
In his judgement, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution could prove part of the charge against the two convicts beyond all reasonable doubt.
The judge also rejected their alibi, describing it as an afterthought and not credible.
He further held that their attempts to deny their confessional statement were not convincing and that evidence before the court confirmed that the extra-judicial statements were made voluntarily.
The court has, however, adjourned its sentencing till November 14, 2023.