An Edo State court has acquitted a 16-year-old girl accused of killing her ex-boyfriend and four others. The State’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) submitted a report absolving her of complicity in the death.
The tragic discovery was reported on October 26, 2024, when Emmanuel’s father, Mr Elogie Ezekiel, arrived at his son’s apartment around 6:30 a.m. He found lifeless bodies of Emmanuel, 19, and his girlfriend, identified as Ada Samuel, also 16, lying on the bedroom bed. Two other friends of Emmanuel’s, Samuel and Jeffrey Ayegwalo, both siblings, were found unresponsive in the sitting room. All five were immediately transported to the hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival.
The investigation took a significant turn when police received a report that Suleiman, who was alleged to have poisoned the victims, was about to be lynched by a group of young men from the community. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu, told Edo Updates Media correspondent on Friday that police officers from the Jattu Division were quickly mobilised to the scene, intervened, and transported Suleiman safely to the station. The case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department to conduct a thorough investigation.
After weeks of investigation, the Edo State High Court has set free Ada Samuel, the 16-year-old girl accused of the crime. The court’s decision followed a report by the Edo State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), which absorbed her of complicity in the death of the victims. The acquittal has sparked a wave of reactions across the state, with many calling for a review of the legal processes involved.
The acquittal has divided public opinion, with some celebrating the court’s decision as a victory for justice, while others are calling for a more thorough investigation into the case. The case has also raised questions about the role of the legal system in protecting the rights of young people accused of serious crimes.
