Court sentences Owo church attackers to death by hanging

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced four of the five defendants prosecuted for their involvement in the 2022 terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, to death by hanging.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, found that the Department of State Services (DSS) had been able to prove the case against the accused.

Judge Nwite found that after careful consideration of the evidence presented by the prosecution and defence, it was “clear” that the convicted men belonged to a proscribed terrorist group known as “Al-Shabaab”.

The judge, therefore, convicted the first to the fourth defendant of belonging to the terrorist group and acquitted the fifth defendant for this charge.

On the second count, the judge also sentenced the first and fourth defendants.

He argued that the prosecution’s evidence “remains credible” and was not effectively disputed by the defendants.

On the third charge, the court convicted them as masterminds of the attack in relation to a meeting held on 30 May 2022, while the judge acquitted and acquitted the fifth defendant on that charge.

On counts four and five, the court also convicted the four defendants, while the fifth defendant was acquitted and acquitted.

On the sixth count, in which the fifth defendant was charged with terrorist financing in relation to the attack, the judge said the prosecution had not proved that he had financed the attack.

Judge Nwite later discharged him and acquitted him of the counts.

The convicted defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, while Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was acquitted of the charges.

The attack, which occurred on June 5, 2022 at the church, resulted in the death of no fewer than 41 worshipers while over 100 others were injured.