A Delta State High Court sitting at Asaba Tuesday convicted and sentenced two men including a 22 year old Engineering Student, Ndudi Ogwu to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for kidnapping a female nurse.
Ndudi Ogwu, an ND II. Mechanical Engineering Student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku was sentenced alongside one Chukwudi Ifemeni, a 22 years old businessman to 10 years imprisoment each on the count of kidnapping and 4 years for conspiracy.
The Court held that Prosecution from the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had proved its case against the two accused persons beyond reasonable doubt and thus convicted and sentenced the duo accordingly.
Prosecution had told the Court that Ndudi Ogwu and Chukwudi Ifemeni with two others now at large kidnapped one Mrs. Kate Okogu, wife to one Honourable Paul Okogu in front of her gate while returning from her shop. The incidence happened on the 13th day of September, 2012 at Ughelli within the Ughelli Judicial Division.
The kidnappers numbering about 4 took their victim to a forest along Isoko-Patani Road where she was unlawfully held captive. She was however, rescued unhurt by a team of Soldiers led by one Sergent Austin Osudibia the next day.
Ndudi Ogwu was arrested by a Patrol team of the JTF at the scene where the kidnapped victim was held captive as the one detailed to watch over her while the 2nd accused was arrested through the confessional statement of the 1st accused person. They both 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 before the Court on charges of Conspiracy and the kidnapping of the 70 years old mother of the Member Representing Ethiope Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Akpodiegaga Emeyese. The septuagenarian mother of the Federal Legislator, Madam Imoniunu Emyese was kidnapped by unknown gun men on the 14th day of November, 2011 at Okerekpo-Eku within the Warri Judicial Division and held her for 12 days while her captors were said to have placed a demand of 30million as a ransom for her release. It was not however clear if any amount was paid as ransom before she gained her freedom.
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.
The discharged persons, one of them a Vulcanizer expressed joy on his freedom saying that he never committed the offence, that it was a set up. They were immediately reunited with their families after spending close to two years awaiting trial.
