By John Ikani
An Edo State High Court has sentenced a maid, Dominion Okoro, to death by hanging for killing Madam Maria Igbinedion, the mother of a former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion.
The maid was found guilty of killing Madam Igbinedion, 85, with a stool with the intent to rob her of the sum of N100,000 on December 1 last year at her uptown residence in Ugbor, Benin City.
Okoro, who had served as housemaid to the deceased for years, confessed that she bought Indian hemp, which she used in preparing a meal for her boss in order to weaken and kill her without struggle.
She confessed to carrying out the act because she wanted to cart away her money and personal items.
“I waited till 4:00 a.m. on December 2, 2021, before leaving the house with Mama’s N100,000, wristwatch, and jewellery. I escaped to Cross River State, but I was later arrested by the police,” she confessed.
Following her confessional statement, Dominion and her sister, Patience, were arrested and arraigned in court
Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Ipkonwonba convicted Dominion on the three-count charge filed against her.
The court sentenced Dominion to death by hanging for murder and robbery with violence, while the court sentenced her to life imprisonment on count two, for applying harmful substances to the late Madam Igbinedion.
Justice Ikponmwoba held that the convict, after the killing, used cotton wool to cover the nose of the deceased and thereafter called a cab to escape from the house the following morning after the brutal killing.
In the case of Patience Okoro, the elder sister of the convict, the court noted that the only evidence linking her with the case was that Dominion called her to inform her after committing the act and she was discharged and acquitted of the charge of the offence of accessory after a murder.
