NIGERIA: SUPREME COURT ANNULS TWO DEATH VERDICTS

the Nigerian Supreme Court unanimously annulled the death sentence of police officer Simon Edibo, 17 years after he had been placed on the death row. Edibo was convicted by the lower courts for taking part in the killing of two innocent civilians in Markurdi in Benue state on January 11, 1997. The Supreme Court also nullified the death sentence and set free suspected armed robber Sunday Ndidi two years after he was convicted and sentenced to death. According to the five-member panel of justices that sat on the case, the prosecution failed to establish the case of armed robbery against Ndidi. Ndidi was arrested in April 2000 in Abavo in Delta State after a complaint was lodged at the police station accusing him of being one the four people who allegedly robbed one Helen Onyeije of the sum of N4,900 and clothing materials on April 1, 2000.