An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced three persons to a combined 97 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for offences bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
The convicts, Augustine Agbogbo (58), Adeniyi Olamilekan, also known as Loko (39), and Ademoh Gabriel (39), were found guilty by Justice Adeniyi Familoni, while three other defendants, Ogungbemi Gbenga (aka Baba Ara), Monday Rakiya and Oseni Mutairu, were discharged and acquitted for lack of evidence.
The six defendants had been arraigned on August 11, 2023, on a six-count charge involving conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery and possession of offensive weapons, contrary to relevant provisions of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
According to the prosecution, the defendants conspired to rob one Ajibade Adeleke of N15,000 at Ayede Ekiti on June 6, 2022. They were also accused of robbing a retired naval officer, Lt Cdr Eisape Victoria, of N40,000 at Itapaji Ekiti on December 20, 2022, and kidnapping her alongside Adeleke on the same day.
The court further heard that the suspects were armed with guns and cutlasses during the attacks.
In addition, the prosecution alleged that on April 6, 2023, at Iyemero Ekiti, some of the defendants were found in possession of three long-barrelled guns, 33 live cartridges and 56 expended cartridges without lawful authority.
Testifying before the court, the retired naval officer recounted that she and her co-farmer were ambushed by armed men around 7:00 p.m. near Ale Dam Bridge while returning from their farm on a motorcycle.
She said they were forcibly taken into the bush and held for several days.
She told the court that the attackers identified themselves as kidnappers and threatened to kill them if they failed to cooperate, adding that she was compelled to contact her relatives to raise a ransom of N70 million.
The victims were eventually released after N8 million was paid.
The prosecution, led by Albert Adeyemi, called seven witnesses and tendered exhibits, including the defendants’ statements, a search warrant, firearms, cartridges and other items recovered during the investigation.
In his judgment, Justice Familoni held that the confessional statements of the first three defendants were credible and described their subsequent retraction as an afterthought.
He ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved the offences of conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping against them, as well as unlawful possession of firearms against the third defendant.
However, the judge held that the evidence against the fourth, fifth and sixth defendants was insufficient, leading to their acquittal.
Describing kidnapping as a persistent menace, the court stressed the need for stiff penalties to deter criminality.
The judge stated that the first, second and third defendants committed heinous crimes and must face the consequences, adding that the punishment imposed should serve as a deterrent to others.
The court subsequently sentenced the three convicts to various prison terms across the counts, totalling 97 years, to run concurrently from the date of their arrest.
(Tribune)
