Man Who Killed 7 DSS Officers in 2015 Sentenced to Death

Man Who Killed 7 DSS Officers in 2015 Sentenced to Death

  • Clement Ododomu has been convicted for the murder of seven operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Lagos state.
  • He was sentenced to death by hanging after he was found guilty of the charges levelled against him.
  • His accomplice, Tiwei Monday, was also handed a 16-year prison sentence by Justice Hakeem Oshodi.

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil society, courts, and metro

In an Ikeja high court, two individuals have been found guilty in connection to the deaths of seven officers from the Department of State Services (DSS).

As reported by The Cable, the presiding judge, Hakeem Oshodi, has pronounced the death penalty by hanging for Clement Ododomu and a 16-year prison sentence for Tiwei Monday.

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DSS, Court, Lagos
It was gathered that the crime was committed in 2015 in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state. Photo Credit: Facebook
Source: UGC

The convictions stem from events that transpired on September 14, 2015, at Ishawo Creek, Ikorodu, Lagos, leading to charges including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and illegal possession of firearms.

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The charges were filed under sections 223 and 298 (3) of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2015.

How the crime was committed

The Lagos state government asserted that the DSS received a distress call from an unnamed editor of the Sun newspaper on the specified date, reporting the kidnapping of his wife at their residence.

In response, the DSS dispatched a nine-member team to investigate and locate the kidnappers, who were in the midst of ransom negotiations.

On that evening, Martins Ajayi, a member of the team, sent a distress message to the command headquarters, indicating that they had been ambushed by vandals, resulting in the seizure of their weapons.

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Although the defendants claimed innocence, asserting they were in Lagos for their grandmother's burial, the court found their defence lacking crucial witnesses to support their case.

Court verdict

Judge Oshodi also observed a lack of remorse from the defendants.

The presiding judge said:

“The court has considered the allocutus of the defence counsel, but the position of the law is binding to us all.
“As noted, the first defendant was convicted on counts one, five, seven, nine and ten, while the second defendant was convicted on counts one and ten.”

While the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove murder charges against the second defendant, he affirmed that the evidence indicated the first defendant and someone named Agbala was responsible for killing the operatives.

Consequently, the judge acquitted the convicts on certain counts where the prosecution couldn't substantiate the allegations.

60-year-old man arrested by EFCC spends 13 years in prison without trial, secures freedom at 73

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In another report, Pa Nyeche, a 73-year-old man arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at age 60, has finally been freed.

It was gathered that Pa Nyeche's freedom was secured after the Headfort Foundation, a non-governmental agency, took up his case.

The agency revealed that Pa Nyeche's file was declared missing and was never arraigned in court, causing him to remain in custody for 13 years and eight months.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Segun Adeyemi avatar

Segun Adeyemi (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Segun Adeyemi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience as an active field reporter, editor, and editorial manager. He has had stints with Daily Trust newspaper, Daily Nigerian, and News Digest. He currently works as an editor for Legit.ng's current affairs and politics desk. He holds a degree in Mass Communication (Adekunle Ajasin University). He is a certified digital reporter by Reuters, AFP and the co-convener of the annual campus journalism awards. Email: segun.adeyemi@corp.legit.ng.