A High Court in Plateau State has sentenced Thomas Danboyi and Pam Lang to death by hanging for their roles in the killing of Chung Bot.
Delivering the verdict on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the High Court in Jos, the state Chief Judge, Justice David Gwong Mann, found the defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. The court ruled that their offenses, committed under the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria, 1963 (as applicable in Plateau State), warranted the mandatory death penalty.
Background of the Case
According to the prosecution, led by Plateau State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice P.A. Daffi, the crime took place on April 26, 2010, in Tahai Gyel Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area.
The prosecution told the court that the accused and others still at large attacked the victim, Chung Bot, and his family on their farmland. Evidence presented in court revealed that Thomas Danboyi restrained Bot by holding his hands behind his back while Pam Lang repeatedly struck him on the head with a stick. They rushed the victim to Plateau Hospital, Jos, where he later died from his injuries.
After reviewing the evidence, Justice Mann stated that the prosecution had “established beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendants conspired to commit the crime and intentionally caused the victim’s death. He described the evidence as “overwhelming,” leading to the defendants’ conviction.
Sentencing and Legal Implications
Following the guilty verdict, the defense counsel pleaded for leniency, arguing that the convicts were responsible family men and had maintained good conduct throughout the trial.
In response, Justice Mann exercised discretion only in the charge of criminal conspiracy, sentencing them to three years in prison. However, for culpable homicide, he handed down the mandatory death penalty, emphasizing that he had no discretion to alter the sentence.
The case, which has drawn significant public attention due to its prolonged legal process, is seen as a strong statement against violent crimes in Plateau State. Legal experts note that the convicts have the right to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, the Supreme Court. Unless a higher court overturns the verdict, the death sentence will be carried out as prescribed by law.
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