By Abasi Ita
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four members of a terrorist group to death by hanging for their involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The convicts, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25, Al Qasim Idris, 20, Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26, and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, were found guilty on a nine count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services on behalf of the Federal Government.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the prosecution successfully established the guilt of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, after finding insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.
Justice Nwite ruled that the evidence presented showed that the four convicted men were active members of a terrorist cell and played key roles in the deadly assault on the Catholic church during a Pentecost service.
The attack claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 others injured, making it one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent years.
According to the prosecution, the convicts, who operated from Kogi State, stormed the church, held worshippers hostage and carried out extensive destruction using improvised explosive devices and AK 47 rifles.
During the trial, the prosecution called 11 witnesses and tendered 23 exhibits, including confessional statements, a digital forensic report and a mobile phone allegedly used by the defendants to exchange communications before and after the attack.
Among the witnesses was a Catholic priest who recounted how the attackers detonated multiple explosive devices inside the church, causing widespread casualties and panic among worshippers.
Following the court’s findings, the four defendants were sentenced to death by hanging.