Ekiti court sentences 2 to fifty years in prison for kidnapping

An Ekiti State high court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced two defendants to 25 years imprisonment each for kidnapping.

The defendants, Ibrahim Abubakar, 44, Usman Abubakar, 49, Abdulahi Abubakar, 41, and Abdulazeez Alebiosu (59), who died during the pendency of the case, were arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on 4 October 2022 on three counts of conspiracy, murder, and kidnapping.

The charge states that on 9 March 2022, at an address off Federal Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, the defendants conspired to murder Taiwo Adesina, and on 22 April 2022, they conspired to kidnap Omoboade Adesina, in violation of Sections 244, 234, 279(1)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

In her testimony, the victim said, “The deceased was my husband. I was a staff of NYSC in Ekiti State.”

She recounted that on the fateful day she received a call that a gang of gunmen had come to her husband’s farm. He tried to escape but was shot in the head and was rushed to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

She was at home mourning for a few days. After the funeral, she went to the farm with her son and brother‑in‑law to assess the situation. She heard a knock on the gate. Her brother‑in‑law opened the gate but ran back to inform them that there were gunmen. They quickly locked the door, but the gunmen jumped in through the fence, gained access, and dragged her out. She was taken on a motorcycle to an unknown destination.

They used her phone to negotiate a ransom of N10 million, but her relatives could only raise and pay N3.25 million.

She could see some of the gunmen’s faces clearly while in captivity and recognised them when they were paraded by the police, she concluded.

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Kunle‑Shina Adeyemo, called seven witnesses and submitted the defendants’ statements and MTN call logs as exhibits.

The defendants defended themselves through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe; they called no witnesses.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said that the victim did not mention the name of the second defendant, Usman Abubakar, and therefore he was discharged and acquitted of all charges.

The judge further stated that the prosecution had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants conspired to kill Taiwo Adesina, and they were therefore discharged and acquitted on counts 1 and 2 (conspiracy and murder).

In all, the sole issue for determination was resolved partly in favour of the prosecution.

Accordingly, the first and third defendants, Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdulahi Abubakar, are hereby sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each, the judge pronounced.