Court sentences police officer to death by hanging for killing student 

The Chief Justice of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, has sentenced a police officer, Sgt. Ruya Auta, for the shooting death of a 300-level University of Jos student, Rinji Bala.

Mann, in a ruling delivered at the Plateau State High Court 1 on Tuesday in Jos, pronounced a death sentence — by hanging or lethal injection — on the convicted officer after finding him guilty of culpable homicide.

The court said the decision followed a detailed review of the evidence presented by the prosecution, witnesses’ testimonies, and its own evaluation of the circumstances surrounding the case. It emphasised that the sentence aimed to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability, particularly in cases involving unlawful use of force and firearms.

Our correspondent reports that the late Rinji Bala, a 300-level student at the University of Jos, was shot dead on May 12, 2020, by Auta after he was taken into custody along with two friends near the Hwolshe area of Jos while strolling during the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to reports, Bala and his friends were apprehended, searched, and taken into custody despite no incriminating evidence being found on any of them. After being beaten and released, they were told to run, at which point Rinji was shot, leading to his immediate death.

Speaking after the judgment, Dr. Garba Pwul (SAN), the prosecuting counsel who secured a fiat from the Plateau Attorney General to represent the state, said justice had been served.

“The judgment was actually expected as the convict didn’t deny the offence; he, however, claimed it was an accidental discharge. The prosecution was able to establish that the convict intended to shoot the victim, as he was shot in the back, around the waist,” he said.

Reacting to the judgment, Mr. Peter Bala, father of the late Rinji, said no sane person would celebrate the death of another human being but stressed that the law had to take its course.

“The truth is the law is the law; that is all I can say,” Bala stated.

The grieving father also expressed hope that the ruling would serve as a deterrent to negligent security personnel.

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