A pastor and two other persons, were, yesterday, sentenced to 20
years imprisonment each by a Delta State High Court for kidnapping and
demanding N20 million ransom. Jailed were one Ifeanyi Obiakpani, an uncle to the victim, who
allegedly masterminded the kidnap, Peter Okafor, said to be a pastor and
one Christian Eze.
Prosecution told the court that the accused persons had on December 21, 2009 kidnapped Anthony Ogbolumani.
It added that Obiakpani, Okafor and Eze on or about December 21,
2009 at Umuagu in Asaba, within the Asaba Judicial Division with intent
to steal, demanded N20 million from Osadebay Obianuju, threatening to
kill Ogbolumani, if the said demand was not complied with.
Trial judge, Justice T. Diai, in her judgment, found the three
accused persons guilty and convicted them to seven years imprisonment
each for conspiracy to kidnap, 10 years imprisonment each for
kidnapping and three years imprisonment each for demanding N20 million
as ransom .The sentences are to run concurrently.
Before handing down the judgment, the court noted that prosecution
had convinced the court that the ingredients of the offence in the
three-count charge were proved beyond reasonable doubt.
