A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere has sentenced a man, Chidiebere Nwoye, to 15 years imprisonment for kidnapping one Gloria Emole.
Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said the jail term would start from July 13, 2013, when Nwoye was first remanded in prison custody.
It was gathered that the convict, alongside four others, Chukwunonso Victor, Ifeanyi Maduako, Obinna Nwanko and one Azeez, who is at large, committed the crime on November 19, 2012, around 8.30am.
The convict, alongside three others, who are still standing trial, was arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.
The Lagos State prosecutor, Dr Babajide Martins, had told the court during their arraignment that the victim was kidnapped while leaving her house at No. 7 Unity Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos.
She was later released after a ransom of $70,000 was paid.
According to the prosecutor, the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 297, 295(2)(a) and 269 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Nwoye had opted for a plea bargain, and the charge against him was amended to conspiracy and attempted armed robbery, to which he pleaded guilty.
During trial, a prosecution witness, Inspector Gbenga Faguiro, told the court how the convict and the other defendants kidnapped the victim and demanded $70,000 ransom.
Faguiro also informed the court that the first defendant, Chukwunonso Victor, was an employee of the victim’s husband before he was sacked for misconduct.
He said that the victim, on November 19, 2012, around 8.30am, was about leaving her house at 7 Unity Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos when she gave her security guard the key to open the gate and as she was about getting into the car, she was accosted by six gunmen, who immediately held her hostage.
Faguiro, who was led in evidence by Martins, said the victim’s brother paid $70,000 to one of the suspects, who is currently at large, at the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos.
He said, “Victor and the other defendants, after collecting the money, also took one of the victim’s phones from her bag. They also used her Automated Teller Machine card to withdraw money from her account.
“While this was going on, her husband, Chika Emole, reported the case at the Ogudu Police Station, where the case was transferred to the Special Investigation Bureau, Ikeja.
“When the woman came to give her statement, she said the defendants were still with one of her phones. The SIB then collected the phone number and tracked it. That was how the first defendant, Victor, was arrested, which led to the arrest of the other defendants.”
Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said the jail term would start from July 13, 2013, when Nwoye was first remanded in prison custody.
It was gathered that the convict, alongside four others, Chukwunonso Victor, Ifeanyi Maduako, Obinna Nwanko and one Azeez, who is at large, committed the crime on November 19, 2012, around 8.30am.
The convict, alongside three others, who are still standing trial, was arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.
The Lagos State prosecutor, Dr Babajide Martins, had told the court during their arraignment that the victim was kidnapped while leaving her house at No. 7 Unity Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos.
She was later released after a ransom of $70,000 was paid.
According to the prosecutor, the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 297, 295(2)(a) and 269 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Nwoye had opted for a plea bargain, and the charge against him was amended to conspiracy and attempted armed robbery, to which he pleaded guilty.
During trial, a prosecution witness, Inspector Gbenga Faguiro, told the court how the convict and the other defendants kidnapped the victim and demanded $70,000 ransom.
Faguiro also informed the court that the first defendant, Chukwunonso Victor, was an employee of the victim’s husband before he was sacked for misconduct.
He said that the victim, on November 19, 2012, around 8.30am, was about leaving her house at 7 Unity Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos when she gave her security guard the key to open the gate and as she was about getting into the car, she was accosted by six gunmen, who immediately held her hostage.
Faguiro, who was led in evidence by Martins, said the victim’s brother paid $70,000 to one of the suspects, who is currently at large, at the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos.
He said, “Victor and the other defendants, after collecting the money, also took one of the victim’s phones from her bag. They also used her Automated Teller Machine card to withdraw money from her account.
“While this was going on, her husband, Chika Emole, reported the case at the Ogudu Police Station, where the case was transferred to the Special Investigation Bureau, Ikeja.
“When the woman came to give her statement, she said the defendants were still with one of her phones. The SIB then collected the phone number and tracked it. That was how the first defendant, Victor, was arrested, which led to the arrest of the other defendants.”
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