ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday convicted and sentenced four members of the Al-Shabaab 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 (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
However, the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was discharged and acquitted after the court held that there was insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.
Delivering judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the prosecution successfully established its case against the four defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge held that evidence presented before the court showed that the convicts were members of and actively participated in the activities of the terrorist group responsible for the deadly attack on the church.
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The assault occurred during a Pentecost service at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo and left more than 40 worshippers dead, while over 100 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
According to evidence before the court, the defendants were key members of an Al-Shabaab terrorist cell operating in Kogi State. They were accused of invading the church, taking worshippers hostage and causing extensive destruction during the attack.
The prosecution further alleged that the terrorists used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and AK-47 rifles to carry out the operation in pursuit of their religious ideology.
In proving its case, the prosecution called 11 witnesses and tendered 23 exhibits before the court.
Among the exhibits admitted in evidence were confessional statements, a digital forensic examination report and a Technophone allegedly containing communications exchanged by the defendants before and after the attack.
One of the prosecution witnesses, a Catholic priest, gave a chilling account of the incident, telling the court how the attackers detonated at least three explosive devices inside the church during the assault.
Following its review of the evidence and testimonies presented, the court found the four defendants guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging, while discharging the fifth defendant for lack of evidence.