The Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City has sentenced five defendants to death over the kidnapping and murder of legal practitioner, Barr. Iyoha Osobase Omon, while discharging and acquitting one of the defendants, Solomon Esuike.
Justice Efe Ikponmwonba delivered judgment on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Charge No. B/CD/136C/2021, between The State and Valentine Dibie & 5 Ors.
The case arose from the kidnapping and murder of Barr. Osobase, who was allegedly abducted on May 9, 2020, at Aduwawa, Benin City, Edo State.
Court case analysis
The lawyer was reportedly beaten to death by his abductors and later buried in a shallow grave.
The defendants were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
Those charged alongside Solomon Esuike were Valentine Dibie, Solomon Enobun, Ambrose Amadi, Enoma Okuonghae and Saturday Imagbe.
After reviewing the evidence led by the prosecution, the court convicted five of the defendants and sentenced them to severe punishments, including 14-year jail terms and death by hanging.
However, the second defendant, Solomon Esuike, was discharged and acquitted of all charges.
Esuike was represented by Douglas Ogbankwa, Esq., who led A.P. Uzor, Esq., and S.A. Idemudia, Esq.
His defence team had filed a no-case submission, arguing that there was no legally admissible evidence linking him to the alleged offences.
The defence contended that Esuike was not mentioned in the original investigation report and was not among the suspects listed in relation to the abduction and murder.
It was also argued that the prosecution witnesses did not connect him to the alleged crime and that the evidence against him was weak, contradictory and insufficient to require him to enter a defence.
According to the defence, Esuike was arrested much later and was allegedly roped into the charge despite not being in lawful custody at the time some other suspects were said to have escaped during the EndSARS protest.
The prosecution, however, maintained its case against the defendants and called witnesses in support of the charges.
The prosecution was led by Orobosa Okunbor, Esq., a former Director of Public Prosecution in Edo State.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution presented evidence relating to the abduction and killing of Barr. Osobase, including how the victim was allegedly attacked, tortured and buried in a shallow grave.
The case attracted attention within the Edo State legal community because of the circumstances surrounding the death of the lawyer and the long duration of the proceedings.
The acquittal of Esuike stood out because it was the only discharge in a multi-defendant murder trial in which the remaining defendants were convicted.
Following the judgment, Esuike walked out of court a free man after about six years of trial and custody.
The judgment brought to a close one of the closely watched criminal proceedings arising from the killing of a legal practitioner in Edo State.
In this article