4 Kidnappers To Die For Maiming Victim After N5m Ransom

The High Court sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, has convicted and sentenced four kidnappers to death by hanging for abducting a 62-year-old retired ExxonMobil staff, Elder Udom Idongesit Demas, from Idung Nneke, in Ukanafun local government area.

This comes after about eight years’ wait for justice. Elder Udom, who was kidnapped in 2017, had his arm chopped off at the point of release, after the kidnappers had collected a negotiated N5 million ransom.

The convicts, Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa LGA, Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43, all from Idung Nneke village, in Ukanafun LGA, were found guilty on all three counts bordering on “conspiracy, kidnapping and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable.”

The judgment was delivered in about four hours by Justice Gabriel Ette, who held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt.

Three other defendants, who stood trial alongside them: Kingsley John Akpan, 32; Etimefiok Ime Ezekiel, 37 and Joseph Sunday Etim, 31, were discharged and acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that in the course of the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including the victim, while the seven defendants testified personally.

The victim, PW1, Elder Idongesit Demas Udom, narrated how the crisis began on December 20, 2016, when the second convict, William ThankGod Sunday, attempted to organise a “cultist carnival” in their village.

According to Udom, the proprietor of Sure Foundation Polytechnic (SFP), at Ukanafun LGA, the billboard announcing the carnival highlighted activities such as smoking, drinking and eating competitions, prompting the elders to intervene.

A meeting was convened at his residence, being the administrator of the Royal Family and president of Idung Nneke Development Association (INDA), where it was resolved that the carnival would not be allowed due to its corrupting influence on youths.

The elders had previously stopped a similar carnival in 2015, which they said led to the initiation of several minors into cult groups.

Following the disagreement, the village reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ukanafun, who deployed officers to prevent the event from holding.

This intervention, the Court heard, angered the second convict, who blamed their victim, Udom, for his failure to intervene in the subsequent village youth leadership election.

He allegedly sent a threat letter to Udom’s brother, the village head, warning that he would kill three students from Udom’s polytechnic, if he were “betrayed” again.

Despite the threats, Udom testified that he did not take them seriously, noting that he once helped secure the convict’s release from detention in Isiala Ngwa, where he had been held for robbery.

However, on March 16, 2017, the second convict allegedly convened a meeting with his associates, including the third convict, Ubon Monday Ebebe; the 5th defendant, Etimefiok Ime Ezekiel; and a fleeing suspect, Saviour Paul Matthew, where he mobilised kidnappers from Abia State to abduct the victim.

According to testimony, kidnappers from Ukanafun, including the notorious Iso Akpafid, had refused to kidnap Elder Idongesit Udom, due to his popularity and contributions to community development.

It was this meeting, the Court held, that set the stage for the eventual abduction and mutilation of the victim after the kidnappers collected N5 million ransom.