.Two to die by hanging
By Oye Chukwujekwu,
Asaba
Delta High Court sitting at Effurun, presided over by Justice Eyewumi Oritsejafor has convicted two accused persons, Henry Okpomanefe and Kessina Abraham, on a three-count Charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms punishable under sections 516 and 364 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C21 as well as section 3 (1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, CAP Rii Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons had conspired on June 7, 2011 (with others now at large) to kidnap a young boy (Hans Coppra) along Enerhen Road. After they had succeeded in pushing him into the gateway vehicle (Rover 620 Salon Car).
They, however, met their waterloo when a police officer on motorcycle instinctively followed their suspicious movements and with the aid of a local mob rescued the boy from their grasp, alerted other officers who came and arrested the suspects on the spot.
While delivering his judgment, the learned Judge agreed with State Counsel’s submission that the accused persons were guilty on all three counts (despite their defense during which no witnesses were called to back up their alibis).
He therefore sentenced them each to a term of seven years imprisonment (Count 1), 10 years imprisonment (Count ii) and 10 years imprisonment (iii), to run concurrently.
Meanwhile, two men – Chelynor Halim and Emeka Okeze – have been sentenced to death by hanging by the Asaba High Court in the Asaba Criminal Division of the Delta State High Court.
The accused persons kidnapped one Joan Osemene to an unknown destination at Ibusa, Delta State on February 9, 2014.
The 1st accused and one lady at large slapped the victim, threatened her with a gun and covered her nose with a cloth with strong smell and she passed out.
At the unknown destination, their gang leader, Edozie Obude, who was killed in a gun duel with officers of the Department of State Security Services, at their hide out held the victim by the throat, hit her on the neck with a metal, ordered that she be searched and was dispossessed of her ATM card and the sum of N10,000 cash, while the ATM card was used to draw the sum of N55,000 from the victim’s account. She was tied hands and legs and taken to another location where they left her, she was able to free herself and escaped.
The motorcyclist he flagged down in her bid to escape turned out to be 1st Accused. She raised alarm and he was caught through the help of passersby who handed him over to the State Security Service, just as he 2nd Accused was arrested through the 1st Accused.
The Court held that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, kidnapping and assault punishable under Section 1 (2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R 11 Volume 14, Laws of the Federation 2014 and under Section 3 (1) (a) of the Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism Law 2013 against the convicts.
Their defense was dismissed and they were found guilty and convicted accordingly.