Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State
Five kidnappers who abducted a septuagenarian, Mrs. Queen Ogbor, have been sentenced to 50 years imprisonment by a Delta State High Court sitting at Sapele Judicial Division.
The convicted kidnappers are Fidelis Ochuko, 25 (driver), Kelvin Opuoma, 21 (bricklayer), Kelly Jonathan, 20 (student), Kevwe Itedjere and Joseph Enakpodia, 20 (commercial motorcycle rider).
A prosecutor from the Delta State Ministry of Justice, T.E. Omenuwoma Esq, had told the Court that the five accused persons, on or about 14 July, 2010, at Abraka, within the Isiokolo Judicial Division, conspired and kidnapped their victim.
According to the prosecution, the armed gang had ambushed the 70-year old woman, a trader, as she was driving into her premises around 7 pm and took her away by foot.
Nemesis caught up with them when on the following day before they could establish contact with their victim’s family for ransom, they were apprehended by security agents who traced them to their hideout through their footsteps.
The kidnapped victim was rescued unhurt.
Each of the convicts who pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge filed against them by the Delta State Attorney-General when they took their plea at the commencement of trial, were pronounced guilty by the trial judge.
They were sentenced to five years each for count one (conspiracy to commit kidnapping) and another five years each for count two (kidnapping) with hard labour.
The kidnappers were convicted under the old anti-kidnapping law which prescribed 10 years imprisonment for offenders.
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