13/08/2024
FOUR PERSON BAGS LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR CONSPIRACY, KIDNAPPING.
An Ekiti State High court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced four persons to 5 years imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for kidnapping.
The defendants Adeoye Sunday (36), Adeusi Dare (30), Bamigboye Damilola (31) and Ogunlayi Seun (30) were arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on 15/2/2018 on four count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping.
According to the charge, the defendants on 14th September, 2017 at Ikere Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did conspire to commit armed robbery when they robbed one Florence Popoola of her phones while armed with guns, on same day, did conspire to kidnap the same victim.
The offences contravene sections 516 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Fi****ms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11,Law of the federation of Nigeria 2004, and Section11 of the kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law of Ekiti State, 2016.
In her evidence before the court, the victim who described herself as a business woman said, I was coming in company of my husband, grandchildren and driver from the church, while entering our compound, some boys numbering about six emanated from the compound with guns, they collected all our phones, they locked others in the house while I was taken to an unknown destination with my car which they later abandoned somewhere, I was with them for four days at an unknown uncompleted building, they collected a sum of #1.5 Million naira from my children before I was released on the fourth day.
One of them gave me a small phone for my family to locate me. I was taken to hospital at Akure for medical attention but I later heard that they were tracked through my phones by the police, she concluded.
To proof his case, the prosecutor, Julius Ajibare called seven witnesses and tendered statements of the defendants among others as exhibits.
The defendants spoke through their respective lawyers , C.O Omokhafe and Sunday Ochayi, they called no witness.
Delivering his Judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said, there was therefore enough evidence before the court that the defendants planned together to kidnap Mrs Florence Popoola on 14th September, 2017.
The prosecution had been able to make success of it's case against the 1st - 4th defendants that they conspired to commit conspiracy and kidnapping.
In all, I accordingly sentenced the four defendants to five years imprisonment with #50,000 option of fine and life imprisonment for kidnapping.
The terms are to run concurrently, the judge ordered.
