A man, Taofeek Isah, has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Edo State High Court sitting in the Auchi area of the state.

The court also sentenced two others, Jeremiah Okamudu and Miracle Pius, to different jail terms.

One of the defendants, Godwin Adeyemi, was, however, discharged and acquitted.

The convicts were brought before the court on five counts of rape, kidnapping, attack with a harmful substance, inflicting physical injury, and unlawful trial by ordeal.

The presiding judge, Justice Philip Imoedemhe, in his judgment on Thursday, sentenced Isah (1st defendant) to death; Okamudu (2nd defendant) to four years’ imprisonment; Pius (4th defendant) to 19 years.

Justice Imoedemhe held that all the evidence tendered before the court convinced him beyond reasonable doubt that the 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants were guilty of the charges.

Imoedemhe ordered that Isah be hanged to death while the other convicts be taken to the Auchi Custodial Centre to serve their jail terms.

The lead prosecutor from the Edo State Ministry of Justice, Clement Eseigbe, had during the trial submitted that Isah connived with three of his friends to kidnap, gang-rape and grievously assault a 20-year-old girl, Blessing.

The prosecutor said the defendants committed the offences on October 22, 2021, at Okpella community in the Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

“The defendants did rub pepper in the private parts of Blessing and inflicted physical injuries on her by beating her with a cutlass, wood and other dangerous objects,” the prosecutor added.

In a similar case, the court sentenced a 61-year-old man, Taiwo Buoro, to 10 years’ imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl.

Imoedemhe in his judgment sentenced  Buoro without a fine option.

Buoro, a farmer, committed the offence on September 19, 2021, at Ososo in the Akoko-Edo LGA of Edo State.

Representatives of a non-governmental organization, BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women, expressed joy at the judgment.