Court Sentences Five to Death, Acquits One in Edo Lawyer’s Murder Case
By Reporter
BENIN CITY, NIGERIA — A six-year legal battle came to a dramatic conclusion on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, when Hon. Justice Efe Ikpomwonba of the Edo State High Court delivered judgment in the high-profile kidnapping and murder case involving the late Barrister Iyoha Osobase.
In the judgment delivered in Charge No. B/CD/136C/22: The State v. Valentine Dibie & 5 Others, the court discharged and acquitted the second defendant, Solomon Esuike, of all charges.
Esuike was represented by Douglas Ogbankwa, Esq., who led the defence team, alongside A.P. Uzor, Esq. and S.A. Idemudia, Esq.
The remaining five defendants were convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, including 14-year jail sentences, while others received the ultimate punishment of death by hanging.
The case has drawn widespread attention within the Edo State legal community since 2020. The prosecution alleged that Barrister Osobase was kidnapped, brutally beaten to death, and buried in a shallow grave in Aduwawa, Benin City, on May 9, 2020.
Legal observers have described the outcome as a notable example of criminal trial advocacy. In a multi-defendant murder prosecution attracting significant public and state interest, securing the acquittal of a single defendant while all co-accused are convicted is widely regarded as a demanding legal feat requiring a meticulous challenge to the prosecution’s case.
The matter featured a lengthy and complex trial process involving numerous hearings, witness testimonies, and forensic examinations over several years.
The prosecution was led by Orobosa Okunbor, Esq., a former Director of Public Prosecutions of Edo State, whose efforts ultimately resulted in the convictions.
Following six years in custody and prolonged legal proceedings, Solomon Esuike left the courtroom a free man, having been fully discharged and acquitted by the court.
