A High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has sentenced a final-year student of Government Science Technical College, Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area, to death by hanging for the murder of a teacher in the school.
The student, Emmanuel Odey, was found guilty of culpable homicide, an offence punishable with death, contrary to Sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017, in Charge No. PLD/J178C/2021.
According to the prosecution, the tragic incident occurred on July 30, 2022, during an altercation between Odey and the late teacher, Mr. Job Dashe, over food in the school.
During cross examination, the prosecution told the court that in the morning of the incident, the late Mr. Dashe and a fellow teacher who were on duty, were supervising the serving of breakfast in the school kitchen around 9:30 a.m. and lunch around 2pm.
The court heard that during this duty, the deceased teacher confronted Odey for violating school rules of collecting double rations and following disciplinary action from Mr. Dashe and his colleague, the student became visibly agitated and confrontational and vowed to deal with the teachers for punishing him.
In fulfilling his vow, Odey was said to have gone to his hostel, brought out a knife and stabbed Mr. Dashe in the chest.
Teachers at the scene rushed the victim to Mercy Seat Hospital, but upon arrival, doctors confirmed that Mr. Dashe had died before reaching the facility.
The defendant was subsequently arrested, charged, and arraigned before the court. During the trial, the state prosecution presented strong evidence, including medical reports, eyewitness testimonies, and police findings that corroborated the sequence of events while the defense failed to disprove the overwhelming evidence brought forward by the state.
While delivering the death sentence, Hon. Justice S J Bakfur held that the prosecution, led by the Plateau State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Audu Daffi, Esq., represented by Chief State Counsels, Nanfe Mbap, Esq., and Solomon Gyang Deme, Esq., had proven the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Bakfur noted the premeditated nature of the attack, the public setting in which it occurred, and the clear intent expressed by the defendant prior to the act.
He emphasized that such acts of violence within educational institutions pose a grave threat to society and must be met with the full force of the law and therefore found Odey guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death and was sentenced to death by hanging.
