Court hands death penalty to former driver over brutal killing of Abuja couple.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has secured the conviction and death sentence of Jonathan Marcus, a former driver to an elderly Abuja couple, for the gruesome murder of his former employers, Mr.

Adebola Ezekiel, 80, and his wife, Mrs. Abiodun Ezekiel.
The judgment was delivered by Justice M. S. Idris of the FCT High Court, who sentenced Marcus to death by hanging after finding him guilty of the double murder.
The victims were murdered on April 1, 2024, at their residence in Zone D, Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.
Announcing the development in a statement on Wednesday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the conviction followed painstaking investigations and diligent prosecution by the Command.
According to her, detectives immediately launched an extensive investigation after the incident, leading to the suspect’s arrest in Obajana, Kogi State, where he had fled and gone into hiding.
“The investigation led to the arrest of the suspect, Jonathan Marcus, a former driver to the deceased, who was tracked to Obajana, Kogi State, where he had gone into hiding after committing the crime. He was subsequently arrested and brought to Abuja for further investigation,” the statement said.
Police disclosed that during interrogation, Marcus confessed to entering the victims’ residence at about 11 p.m. on the day of the incident before killing the couple.
Investigations further revealed that the convict had previously worked as the couple’s driver but was dismissed following repeated disagreements with his employers.
He was subsequently arraigned before the FCT High Court, where the prosecution presented evidence linking him to the crime.
After reviewing the evidence and hearing submissions from counsel, Justice Idris held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. He consequently convicted Marcus and sentenced him to death by hanging for the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel.
The FCT Police Command described the judgment as another demonstration of its commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of violent crimes are brought to justice.
The Command also reassured residents of the Federal Capital Territory of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining efforts to ensure that criminals face the full weight of the law.