2 Men Bag 50 Years Imprisonment For Kidnapping

Two persons have been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each by an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti for kidnapping.

The defendants were Ibrahim Abubakar (44), Usman Abubakar (49), Abdulahi Abubakar (41) and Abdulazeez Alebiosu (59), who died during the pendency of the case.

They were arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on October 4, 2022, on three counts charge bordering on conspiracy, murder and kidnapping.

According to the charge, the defendants, on March 9, 2022, at off Federal Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, did conspire to murder one Taiwo Adesina, also on 22/4/2022 did conspire to kidnap Omoboade Adesina, contrary to Sections 244, 234, 279(1)a of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

The victim in her testimony before the court said, ” He, the deceased, was my husband, and I was a staff member of the NYSC in Ekiti State.

On the fateful day, I received a call that a gang of gunmen had come to my husband’s farm. He tried to escape but was shot in the head and was rushed to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

“” was at home to mourn for some days after the completion. I went to the farm with my son and brother-in-law to see how things stood. I heard a knock on the gate. My brother-in-law went to open the gate, but ran back to inform us that there were gunmen. We quickly locked the door. They jumped in through the fence, gained access and dragged me out. I was taken on a motorcycle to an unknown destination.

“Hey, they used my phone to negotiate for a ransom of N10 million, but my relatives could only raise and pay N3.25 million.

“I could see some of the gunmen’s faces clearly when I was in their captivity and recognised them when the police paraded them, “she concluded.

The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called seven witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements and MTN call logs as exhibits to prove his case.

The defendants, who spoke in their own defence through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe, called no witness.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said, “The victim did not in any way mention the name of the 2nd defendant (Usman Abubakar). He was accordingly discharged and acquitted of all the charges.”

The judge further said, ” he prosecution had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants conspired to kill Taiwo Adesina; they were therefore discharged and acquitted in counts 1 and 2 (Conspiracy and Murder).

“In all, the sole issue for determination is resolved partly in favour of the prosecution.

“Accordingly, the 1st and 3rd defendants (Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdulahi Abubakar) are hereby sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each, the judge pronounced.