Sergeant to die for extra-judicial killing

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced a
police sergeant, Jilla Lannubo, to death by hanging for the
extra-judicial killing of Oruyegha Grand at Agudama on May 13,
2017.Lannubo, a native of Bokos community, in Bokos local
government area of Plateau State, was attached to Mopol 30, Bayelsa
State Command and was deployed to Akenfa police station for patrol
duties before the incident.

The State Special Prosecutor, Arthur Andrew Seweniowor, had
charged him to court for murder in accordance with Section 247(1)
of the Criminal Code Law. Cap c14 Laws of Bayelsa State 2006.

Lannubo, who admitted shooting Grand, however said he did so in
line with his duty as a policeman, as the shot was to frighten the
deceased who was trying to escape from arrest.

The prosecution had called 15 witnesses, including the deceased
wife and brother to prove its case that Lannubo shot Grand without
any provocation on the fateful date.

Seweniowor had argued that the three essential ingredients that
prosecution must establish to prove its case beyond reasonable
doubt had been established in the case.

He said: “Unpleasant as it may seem that this court may come to
the finding that the prosecution has proved this case beyond
reasonable doubt and impose the ultimate and single sentence of
death. Arriving at this decision is not based on any sentiment but
on law. The prosecution had placed before the court sufficient
facts to sustain a conviction and I urged with respect that
judgment of guilty be entered in favour of the prosecution.”

Justice Ineikade Eradiri concurred with the argument of the
prosecution and therefore sentenced him to death by hanging.

This is on the heels of a related development that the Inspector
General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has decorated an officer
accused of involvement in the ‘Apo six killing’. The officer,
Danjuma Ibrahim, was decorated with the rank of Assistant Inspector
General (AIG) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday
alongside other police personnel.

He was one of the 414 police personnel, whose promotion were
recently approved by the Police Service Commission (PSC). He was
reinstated into the force after 12 years of suspension. Before his
suspension, he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of
operations at the FCT Command.

It was alleged that Ibrahim conspired with other officers to
cause the death of some suspects arrested in Garki Division. The
incident, which occurred in 2005, led to his suspension from the
force and he was subsequently charged to court alongside Othaman
Abdulsalam, Nicholas Zakaria, Baba Emmanuel, Ezekiel Acheneje and
Sadiq Salami as co-defendants for felony.

A statement issued last November by the commission’s spokesman,
Ikechukwu Ani, had explained the circumstances that led to his
reinstatement. The statement reads: “DCP Ibrahim charged to court.
The trial lasted 12 years, after which the judge found him, who was
the first accused in the matter, not guilty and discharged him
while Baba Emmanuel and Ezekiel Acheneje were sentenced to death.
After the judgment, DCP Ibrahim appealed to the commission,
requesting for his reinstatement.”

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced a
police sergeant, Jilla Lannubo, to death by hanging for the
extra-judicial killing of Oruyegha Grand at Agudama on May 13,
2017.Lannubo, a native of Bokos
community, in Bokos local government area of Plateau State, was
attached to Mopol 30, Bayelsa State Command and was deployed to
Akenfa police station for patrol duties before the incident.

The State Special Prosecutor, Arthur Andrew Seweniowor, had
charged him to court for murder in accordance with Section 247(1)
of the Criminal Code Law. Cap c14 Laws of Bayelsa State 2006.

Lannubo, who admitted shooting Grand, however said he did so in
line with his duty as a policeman, as the shot was to frighten the
deceased who was trying to escape from arrest.

The prosecution had called 15 witnesses, including the deceased
wife and brother to prove its case that Lannubo shot Grand without
any provocation on the fateful date.

Seweniowor had argued that the three essential ingredients that
prosecution must establish to prove its case beyond reasonable
doubt had been established in the case.

He said: “Unpleasant as it may seem that this court may come to
the finding that the prosecution has proved this case beyond
reasonable doubt and impose the ultimate and single sentence of
death. Arriving at this decision is not based on any sentiment but
on law. The prosecution had placed before the court sufficient
facts to sustain a conviction and I urged with respect that
judgment of guilty be entered in favour of the prosecution.”

Justice Ineikade Eradiri concurred with the argument of the
prosecution and therefore sentenced him to death by hanging.

This is on the heels of a related development that the Inspector
General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has decorated an officer
accused of involvement in the ‘Apo six killing’. The officer,
Danjuma Ibrahim, was decorated with the rank of Assistant Inspector
General (AIG) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday
alongside other police personnel.

He was one of the 414 police personnel, whose promotion were
recently approved by the Police Service Commission (PSC). He was
reinstated into the force after 12 years of suspension. Before his
suspension, he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of
operations at the FCT Command.

It was alleged that Ibrahim conspired with other officers to
cause the death of some suspects arrested in Garki Division. The
incident, which occurred in 2005, led to his suspension from the
force and he was subsequently charged to court alongside Othaman
Abdulsalam, Nicholas Zakaria, Baba Emmanuel, Ezekiel Acheneje and
Sadiq Salami as co-defendants for felony.

A statement issued last November by the commission’s spokesman,
Ikechukwu Ani, had explained the circumstances that led to his
reinstatement. The statement reads: “DCP Ibrahim charged to court.
The trial lasted 12 years, after which the judge found him, who was
the first accused in the matter, not guilty and discharged him
while Baba Emmanuel and Ezekiel Acheneje were sentenced to death.
After the judgment, DCP Ibrahim appealed to the commission,
requesting for his reinstatement.”