A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has sentenced Jonathan Markus to death by hanging for the murder of his former employer, 82-year-old Ezekiel Adebola, and his 67-year-old wife, Abiodun, in a case that shocked residents of the nation’s capital.
Justice M. S. Idris delivered the judgement on Wednesday after finding that the prosecution had proved the charge of murder against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.
Markus, who had served as the deceased’s driver, was arrested by operatives of the FCT Police Command on 1 April 2024, following the killing of the elderly couple at their residence in the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.
Police investigations revealed that the convict fled Abuja after the crime and went into hiding in Obajana, Kogi State, where he was eventually tracked down and arrested before being returned to the Federal Capital Territory for further investigation and prosecution.
He was subsequently arraigned before the FCT High Court, where the FCT Police Command prosecuted the case.
After reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution and considering the arguments of counsel, Justice Idris held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and accordingly sentenced Markus to death by hanging.