The court found the defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, offenses punishable under the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria, 1963
Thomas Danboyi and Pam Lang have been found guilty by a High Court in Plateau State of the crime of murdering Chung Bot. They have been sentenced to death by hanging for their roles in the crime.
This verdict was handed down in Jos on Wednesday by Justice David Mann, who is the Chief Judge of the State. In the case, State vs. Thomas Danboyi & Pam Lang (Charge No. PLD/J112C/2010), the court found the defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, offenses punishable under the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria, 1963 (then applicable to Plateau State).
The crime was allegedly perpetrated on April 26, 2010, at Tahai Gyel Bukuru, which is located in the Jos South local government area of the state, as specified by the prosecution, which was led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Plateau State, Hon. P.A. Daffi, along with a group of attorneys.
Chung Bot, the victim, and his family had, according to the prosecution, gone to their farmland in Ta Hei, Gyel, in order to cultivate when they were attacked by the accused individuals together with other individuals who are currently at large.
According to the evidence produced in court, Chung Bot was assaulted multiple times in the head by Pam Lang, while Thomas Danboyi, the first accused, restrained the victim by holding his hands behind his back.
Even more tragically, the victim passed away while undergoing treatment at Plateau Hospital in Jos, after being taken there.
The prosecution’s witnesses and evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants conspired to perpetrate the crime and willfully killed the victim, according to Justice Mann. After their conviction, their attorneys urged the court to show leniency because the convicts were responsible family men and demonstrated exemplary conduct during their trial.
Regarding the offense of culpable homicide, Justice Mann imposed the obligatory sentence of death, stating that he possesses no discretion to mitigate the penalty.