Appeal court acquits man of murder in Benin‎

The Court of Appeal in Benin, Edo state, has discharged and acquitted one Felix Osadolor, (alias Afro) of a murder charge.

Osadolor was sentenced to death by an Edo State High Court in 2010, for assassinating a Benin High Chief, Chief Sunday Ahanor, the Esan of Benin Kingdom.

But in a unanimous judgement read by Justice Anthony Ogakwu, the appellate court held that the lower court erred for giving the conviction on mere suspicion instead of through confessional statement and eyewitness account.

The court held that the appellant did not make any confessional statement, just as there was no confession of any eyewitness account linking him to the crime.

‎The court further held that there were contradictions in the evidence of prosecution witnesses 2,5 and 7 and therefore, set aside the judgement of the High Court and discharged and acquitted Osadolor of all the charges.

Reacting to the judgement, Edo State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Henry Idahagbon, who said he was yet to be briefed on the ruling, promised to make public the decision of the state government whether to appeal the judgment or not.