Four persons have been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ekiti State High Court for offence bordering on kidnapping.
The convicts, Adeoye Sunday, Adewusi Dare, Bamigboye Damilola and Ogunlayi Seun were also found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap by the court presided over by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, and were accordingly sentenced to five years imprisonment for the offence.
The 5th defendant, one Ojo Tope was however acquitted and discharged for all the offences.
The convicts committed the offences on September 14, 2017 at lkere-Ekiti where they kidnapped a 75-year-old Madam Florence Popoola in her house and kept her in the forest between Eyio and Awo-Ekiti for four days until she was eventually released after the payment of N1.5 million ransom.
The four convicts were arrested and charged to Court with the offences of Conspiracy and Armed Robbery contrary to Section 6(b) &1(2) (a)of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Kidnapping and Conspiracy to Kidnap contrary to Sections 3 & 4 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law,2015.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State called four witnesses and tendered eight exhibits to prove his case.
The convicts who spoke through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe and Sunday Ochai gave evidence in their defence and did not call any other witness.
In its judgement, the court held that the prosecution proved the offences of conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping against the 1st -4th defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Ogunmoye consequently convicted four out of the five defendants and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
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