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Delta State High Court in Asaba on Tuesday sentenced a student of the
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, and a businessman to 14 years for
kidnapping.
The student, Ndudi Ogwu, and Chukwudi Ifemeni were sent to prison with hard labour for kidnapping a nurse.
Ogwu, an ND II mechanical engineering
undergraduate and the businessman were sent to 10 years for kidnapping
and four years for conspiracy.
The court held that the prosecution had
proved its case against the two accused persons beyond reasonable doubt
and thus convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
The prosecution had told the court that
Ogwu and Ifemeni with two others now at large kidnapped one Mrs. Kate
Okogu, wife of Mr. Paul Okogu, a politician.
The incident happened on September 13, 2012 at Ughelli.
The kidnappers were said to have taken
the victim to a forest along Isoko-Patani Road where she was held
captive. She was however rescued by a team of soldiers the next day.
The convicts had admitted in their
confessional statements to have committed the offence upon their arrest
but later denied the charges during trial.
Meanwhile, another High Court sitting at
Asaba has discharged and acquitted one Aghogho Oghenekoko and David
Akwele who were arraigned on charges of conspiracy and the kidnapping of
a70-year-old mother of the member representing Ethiope constituency in
the House of Representatives, Mr. Akpodiegaga Emeyese.
The woman, Madam Imoniunu Emyese, was
kidnapped for 12 days, while her captors were said to have demanded N30m
ransom for her release.
While discharging the two accused persons
on the ground of insufficient evidence linking the duo to the crime,
the court held that it cannot rely on their confessional statements
alone without corroborations.
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