Four kidnappers sentenced to death by hanging in Bayelsa State
The Bayelsa State High Court, presided over by Justice Patience Diri, has sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for their involvement in conspiracy and kidnapping.
The convicts, identified as Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus, and Tari Firstman, were found guilty under Section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law of 2013.
The case stemmed from an incident where the group attempted to abduct the owner of a dredging company located in Ayama Ijaw within the Southern Ijaw Local Government area. Although their initial attempt to kidnap the owner was unsuccessful, they resorted to violence by firing shots to intimidate workers at the site. During this chaotic situation, they forcibly took a 28-year-old secretary of the company at gunpoint.
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The kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦6.5 million for her release after initially coercing her into handing over ₦400,000 from the company’s safe. Following her release after one month and three days in captivity, law enforcement agencies initiated an investigation that led to the arrest of Etonzor and his accomplices.
During court proceedings, despite claims from the defendants alleging intimidation and forced confessions during their arrest, Justice Diri ruled that sufficient evidence was presented against them. This included witness statements and confessions that were admitted as evidence during the trial. Ultimately, all four accused were convicted on two counts: conspiracy and kidnapping.
In delivering her judgment, Justice Diri emphasized the severity of their crimes and imposed the ultimate penalty of death by hanging as prescribed by law for such offenses.
This ruling reflects ongoing efforts within Nigeria’s judicial system to combat rampant kidnapping activities that have plagued various regions in recent years.
