The State High Court sitting in Ogbia, Bayelsa, on Thursday sentenced four men to 40 years imprisonment each for the kidnapping of the former commissioner for trade and investment, Mr. Federal Otokito.
The convicts are Kingsley Obhesi, 24, Joshua Abi, 32, Gift Damene, 38 and Powell Inegite, 36.
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Justice S.W. Amaduobogha convicted them on counts of conspiracy, kidnap and unlawful possession of firearms.
The judge held that the prosecution had proven the case of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms beyond reasonable doubts.
Amaduobogha consequently sentenced each of them to 40 years of imprisonment.
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The convicts were arrested by operatives of the Operation Puff Adder unit of the police command in Bayelsa, led by Supol Chris Nwaogbo.
The prosecuting counsel, Stella Jerry-Friday, told the court that the convicts on Jan. 20, 2022, at Otuokpoti in Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa kidnapped Otokito against his will.
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“The captive was taken to the Igbomotoru bush in the southern Ijaw area of the state with the intent to demand ransom or any other unlawful consideration and thereby committed an offence,” Jerry-Friday said.
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