Court Gives Vandal Death Sentence For Killing DSS Operatives

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has sentenced a vandal, Clement Ododomu, to death by hanging and Tiwei Monday to 16 years imprisonment. 

The judge arrived at the decision after finding the duo guilty of murder and conspiracy.

Handing down his judgment, the trial judge held that after careful consideration of facts before the court and the demeanour of the convicts, which he termed as ‘unremorseful’, they ought to be convicted and sentenced accordingly.

The convicts were arraigned for murdering seven officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Ikorodu area of the state.

According to the judge, “The court has considered the allocutus of the defence counsel. However, the position of the law is binding on us all. 

“As noted above, the first defendant was convicted on counts one, five, seven, nine, and 10, while the second defendant was convicted on counts one and 10.

“This is as contained in the information filed and dated January 13, 2017. The provisions of this section of the law are as follows: Count one, the count, convicted the first and second defendants.

“This count is brought contrary to Section 233 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015, liable to a conviction of 14 years.

“On counts five and seven, the first defendant on these counts, which is contrary to Section 233 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, provides that anyone who commits murder shall be sentenced to death.”

Justice Oshodi said on count nine, the first defendant is brought under Section 298 (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, hence, liable to not less than 14 years but not more than 20 years imprisonment.

Furthermore, on count 10, Justice Oshodi declared that both the first and second defendants were convicted under Section 410 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, and are liable to two years imprisonment.

The judge held that the claim of the defence that the defendants were in Lagos for the funeral of their grandmother was a ruse.

While insisting that the defence failed to provide essential witnesses to corroborate the claim, Justice Oshodi, however, held that the prosecution was unable to prove that the second defendant was guilty of murder.

Justice Oshodi stated that the evidence before the court showed that it was one Agbala and the first defendant who killed the operatives, adding that the prosecution was able to prove that the two defendants participated in the ambush of the operatives.

Consequently, Justice Oshodi discharged and acquitted the convicts on counts two, three, four, six, and eight because the prosecution was unable to prove the allegations against them.

In his words: “The court has observed the demeanour of the defendants and concluded that they felt no remorse concerning the allegations they were facing.

“They informed the court that they do not understand the English language, whereas, in the recording, they both were conversing in English.

“Ododomu and Monday are hereby sentenced to imprisonment for 14 years for count 10 and the first and second convicts are hereby sentenced to imprisonment for two years for count nine.

“Ododomu is hereby sentenced to imprisonment for 20 years. The terms of imprisonment for both convicts will run concurrently.

“For counts five and seven, which the court has found the first convict guilty, the sentence of the court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul.”

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Government (LASG) had in the charge against the convicts hinted to the court that the DSS received a distress call from an editor of the Sun newspaper (name withheld) on September 14, 2015, about the kidnap of his wife at their residence.

This prompted the Lagos State Command of the DSS to dispatch a nine-man team to carry out surveillance to ascertain the location of the kidnappers, who were negotiating for a ransom.

While adding that it was reported in the evening of that day that one of the DSS team members, Mr Martins Ajayi, sent a distress text message to the command headquarters to the effect that the team had been ambushed by vandals and their weapons seized, the prosecution added that the convicts committed the offence on September 14, 2015, in Ishawo Creek, Ikorodu, Lagos.

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