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The Chief Justice of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, has delivered judgment in the long-awaited case concerning the killing of university student Rinji Bala.
In a ruling at Plateau State High Court 1 in Jos on Tuesday, December 9, Justice Mann sentenced Sergeant Ruya Auta to death by hanging or lethal injection after finding him guilty of culpable homicide.
Rinji Bala, a promising 300-level student at the University of Jos, was shot dead on May 12, 2020. He had been taken into custody with two friends near the Hwolshe area of Jos while out during the COVID-19 lockdown. Reports indicate that Bala and his friends were searched and detained despite no incriminating evidence being found. After being beaten and released, they were told to run, at which point Rinji was shot, resulting in his immediate death.
Following years of trial, the court found Auta guilty. Justice Mann stated that the verdict followed a thorough review of the prosecution’s evidence, witness testimonies, and careful evaluation of the circumstances surrounding the case.
The court emphasized that the sentence was intended to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability, particularly in cases involving the unlawful use of force and firearms.
Reacting to the judgment, Peter Bala, father of the late Rinji, said that while no sane person would celebrate the death of another, the law must take its course.
“The truth is the law is the law; that is all I can say,” he remarked, expressing hope that the ruling would serve as a deterrent to negligent security personnel.
