A Delta State High Court sitting at Asaba on Tuesday convicted and sentenced two men including a student, Ndudi Ogwu, 22, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for kidnapping a nurse.
Ogwu, an ND II mechanical engineering student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku was sentenced alongside one businessman, Chukwudi Ifemeni, 22, to 10 years on each the count of kidnapping and four years for conspiracy.
The Court held that the prosecution had proved its case against the two accused persons beyond reasonable doubt and thus convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
The prosecution had told the court that Ogwu and Ifemeni with two others now at large kidnapped one Mrs. Kate Okogu, wife of Mr. Paul Okogu, a politician in front of her house as she returned from her shop.
The incidence happened on September 13, 2012 at Ughelli.
The kidnappers numbering about 4 took their victim to a forest along Isoko-Patani Road where she was unlawfully held captive. She was however, rescued unhurt by a team of soldiers led by one Sergeant Austin Osudibia the next day.
Ogwu was arrested by a Patrol team of the JTF at the scene where the kidnapped victim was held captive as the one detailed to watch over her while the second accused was arrested through the confessional statement of the 1st accused person.
They both admitted in their confessional statements to have committed the offence upon their arrest but later denied the charges during trial.
Meanwhile another High Court sitting at Asaba has discharged and acquitted one Aghogho Oghenekoko and David Akwele who were arraigned before the Court on charges of Conspiracy and the kidnapping of the 70-year-old mother of the member representing Ethiope in the House of Representatives, Mr. Akpodiegaga Emeyese.
The woman, Madam Imoniunu Emyese, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on November 14, 2011 at Okerekpo-Eku and held her for 12 days while her captors were said to have placed a demand of N30m as a ransom for her release. It was not however clear if any amount was paid as ransom before she gained her freedom.
While discharging the two accused persons on the ground of insufficient evidence linking the duo to the crime, the court held that it cannot rely on their confessional statements alone without corroborations.
The discharged persons, one of them a vulcaniser expressed joy on his freedom saying that he never committed the offence, that it was a setup. They were immediately reunited with their families after spending close to two years awaiting trial. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Serve them right? These are useless boys who committee all sorts of crimes in order to live as big boys and waste their time and life with useless girls like them on campus.
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