Dismissed SARS officer sentenced to death for killing businessman, stealing N.3m in Benin

A dismissed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officer, Joseph Omotosho, who was accused of killing a businessman, Benson Obodeh, and stealing N300,000 from his bank account, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a High Court sitting in Benin, the capital of Edo State.

Omotosho, who was attached to the defunct SARS team of the Edo State Police Command, reportedly killed Obodeh, a car dealer, in 2015 and went ahead to withdraw the money from the deceased account after obtaining his ATM pin number before his death.

While handing the death sentence on the convict, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele described testimonies provided by the claimant as firm and almost unchallenged.

“Therefore, the judgment was based on absolute fact, which the court absorbed as presented by the prosecuting counsel and all witnesses that appeared before the court,” Justice Ovbiagele said.

The judge pointed out that the convict could not substantiate counter evidence against the charges levelled against him.

Read also: Court orders CBN to unfreeze accounts of #EndSars protesters

Omotosho was also handed another seven years’ imprisonment for his role in the stealing of the deceased’s money from his bank accounts.

The deceased was said to have been listed among suspected criminal gangs, who allegedly stole a Peugeot car.

The prosecution counsel Abraham Oviawe, who spoke on the judgment, said:

“What happened today is a confirmation of the biblical position that says the wages of sin is death.

“So, when one conspires to take the life of another man, with overwhelming evidence, the court has no option but to reach the verdict it reached.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now