It was judgment day Monday for five
persons, who had been standing trial before an Osun State High Court, sitting
in Iwo, for kidnapping the wife of the state House of Assembly Speaker, Alhaja
Muibat Salaam, as the court sent them to a total of 135 years in imprisonment.
Justice Moshood Adeigbe sentenced each of the five accused persons facing
a three-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of
firearms to 27 years imprisonment.
The convicts are Chukwudi Okereke
(40), Ogbole Ochijile Elijah (25), Okonkwo Lucky (33), Kaikine Mahah (35) and
Nwadinnor Philip (30).
Immediately the judge pronounced the sentence, the family and friends of the convicts, who had besieged the court with the hope of either a possible freedom or a light sentence for their relatives, burst into tears.
Immediately the judge pronounced the sentence, the family and friends of the convicts, who had besieged the court with the hope of either a possible freedom or a light sentence for their relatives, burst into tears.
The convicts were said to have conspired while armed with
AK 47 to kidnap Salaam, who was returning from her shop in her Honda Accord car
with number plate OSHA02 at about 8pm around Oke-Oyo Road in Ejigbo, Osun State
on October 9, 2012.
During their trial, the prosecution
led by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adewale
Afolabi, said the convicts had confessed to the kidnapping of the
speaker’s wife in their individual statements to the police during
investigations.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Adeigbe noted that the prosecution had been able to establish its case against the defendants, stressing that “the confessional statements were clear that the accused persons met at Royal Hotel in Agbor, Delta State, where they planned the kidnap, perfected it in Lagos and carried it out in Ejigbo.”
Delivering his judgment, Justice Adeigbe noted that the prosecution had been able to establish its case against the defendants, stressing that “the confessional statements were clear that the accused persons met at Royal Hotel in Agbor, Delta State, where they planned the kidnap, perfected it in Lagos and carried it out in Ejigbo.”
“The exhibits also showed that the
five accused persons kidnapped the PW2 (Mrs. Salaam), forced her into a trailer
and dragged her into the bush on their way to Lagos before the Ogun State
Police Command arrested them. I hold that the prosecution have established
their case and therefore found the five accused persons guilty of conspiracy,
kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms,” he said.
For the charge of conspiracy, Justice Adeigbe sentenced each of the five convicts to seven years imprisonment; 10 years imprisonment for the charge of kidnapping and another 10 years for the charge of unlawful possession of firearms.
For the charge of conspiracy, Justice Adeigbe sentenced each of the five convicts to seven years imprisonment; 10 years imprisonment for the charge of kidnapping and another 10 years for the charge of unlawful possession of firearms.
He however ruled each term of the
sentence should run concurrently since the counts arose out of the charges of
the same Act.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Sam George and Fredrick Komolafe, had prayed the court to temper justice with mercy because the accused persons are married men with children.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Sam George and Fredrick Komolafe, had prayed the court to temper justice with mercy because the accused persons are married men with children.
But Justice Adeigbe ignored the plea, saying the
five convicts deserve the full punishment for their offence , which he
described as heartless and condemnable.
Komolafe, counsel to Elijah, Lucky
and Philip, who spoke after the court proceeding, said they were
going to appeal the judgment because his clients were found guilty based on
their confessional statements.
He said the confessional statements were not tested, adding that the best option to adopt a trial within trial to authenticate the confessional statements.
He said the confessional statements were not tested, adding that the best option to adopt a trial within trial to authenticate the confessional statements.
Tags
Society
Barr komolafe is a fool n he should be investigated of being a kidnapper too. Who knows tomorrow he too can bea victim just like bro Ozekhome in Edo
ReplyDeleteNawa 4 Nigeria ooooooo. Abeg make una release dem make dem go! All the national thieves no go jail na common man dey go jail, yeye!
DeleteWhile not capital punishment?
ReplyDeleteThis last comment must have come from a kidnapper who is hiding but trust me one day you will know why such inhumane should be taken out of the society.
ReplyDeleteSee wht kidnappers put their childrend and family into problems just for their own heartless deed.
ReplyDeleteWell as much as we condem d kidnapers what abt d most destroying sins of our office holders who brings poverty to d society thru their embezzlement of our money which makes dis people to be involve in dis activities to survive,our rich n ruling class are wicked n heartless in dis country,dis case involve just a single person n family but what abt those dat embezzle pensions funds worthy billions dat must haf left many old men in abject poverty n even some dead,are they in prison now,capital No dat means our judiciary too are conspiracy of dis.God will judge all of u
ReplyDeleteMy brother you are right, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander the same punishment given to the poor should also be given to the rich if they default. Why are things so different and upside down in this country?
ReplyDelete