An Ekiti State High Court sitting Ado Ekiti has sentenced two men, Ojo Babajide, 31 years, and 35-year-old Olajide Nathaniel to fifteen (15) years imprisonment each for conspiracy and kidnapping.
The convicts were arraigned before the court presided by Justice Adeniyi Familoni on 19th July, 2022 for the two offences.
According to the charge, the offences contravene Sections 280 and 279 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
The charge read that the convicts on March 23, 2022, at Oye Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court, conspired to kidnap one Atana Emmanuel.
The victim, a student of Federal University of Oye (FUOYE), who was also operating a salon, in his statement to the police said, “I was in the shop around 7pm, I saw the defendants in my shop. They moved towards me and ordered me to enter a waiting car, I initially refused but I was forced to enter.
“I was first taken to an unknown destination in Oye Ekiti and I later found myself in a hotel along Ikere Road in Ado Ekiti. I even paid for the room in the hotel through mobile transfer.
“They asked me to call my relatives to pay a ransom of One Million Naira for my release. Through phone calls, I was able to raise N101, 000, when they knew the money was not forthcoming, I was ordered to remove all my clothes and they started flogging me with horsewhip. I sustained serious bruises all over my body before I was later released”, he concluded.
The prosecutor, Kunle-shina Adeyemo called one witness and tendered the victim and defendants’ statements and bond to release as exhibits to prove his case.
The defendants, who spoke through their lawyer Akinola Abon pleaded the court to temper justice with mercy, saying the defendants were fresh graduates who were preparing to go for their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
They also called three witnesses to buttress their case.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Familoni said, the incidents of kidnapping in the communities have appeared unabated despite genuine and concerted efforts to curb the vice.
“The defendants, willingly but unwisely choose to join this vice train. Therefore, they cannot escape the consequences.
“In this vein, they deserve more than a slap on the wrist as the penal sanction for their misdeed to serve as a deterrent to others. “Consequently, they are both sentenced to five years imprisonment for conspiracy and ten years imprisonment each for kidnapping without an option of fine,” the Judge ruled.
The sentences were to run concurrently with effect from 21st May, 2025, the judge pronounced.
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