A Bayelsa High Court, Yenagoa Division has sentenced a 38-year-old notorious cult leader, Diepreye Sunday Olayo to death by hanging.
Justice Emmanuel Ogola found Olayo guilty for the murder of a man simply identified as Ilebiri, which happened on September 6, 2011 along Ebis Mechanic road, Amarata, Yenagoa.
Olayo, a member of Greenlanders cult group was said to have shot Ilebiri, believed to be the hitman of Bobos cult in the state.
Prosecution counsel, Andrew Seweniowor Arthur who tendered the confessional statement of the accused and 13 witnesses, said its case has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Olayo murdered Ilebiri.
Justice Ogola before delivering his judgment advised both parties to seek redress in a higher Court if they disagree with his ruling.
While going through the history of the case, he noted that he had to deliver judgement on trial within trial, on whether to admit the two confessional statements by the accused.
He said he ruled to admit both confessional statements, as there was no sufficient proof to indicate that the statements were extracted under duress as claimed by the accused.
Ogola pointed out that the prosecution had proved its case, as all evidences, including confessional statements from the accused, which pointed to the fact that he committed murder.
“I, therefore, find the accused guilty and I convict him for murder and sentence him to death,” he ruled.
There was, however, mild drama as Olayo’s relatives burst into tears, alleging that they were being oppressed because they were poor.
