An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division has sentenced four men to life imprisonment for kidnapping a 75-year-old woman in Ikere Ekiti.

The defendants – Adeoye Sunday, Adewusi Dare, Bamigboye Damilola and Ogunlayi Seun were also on Monday sentenced to five years imprisonment each for the offence of conspiracy.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Ojo Tope of the charges levelled against them.

The defendants were tried for the kidnap of 75 years old Madam Florence Popoola from her house, on September 14, 2017, in Ikere Ekiti and kept her in the forest between Eyio and Awo-Ekiti for four days until she was eventually released after the payment of N1.5m ransom.

The five defendants were arrested and charged to court with the offences of conspiracy to armed robbery, armed robbery, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State, said, “The offences committed by the defendants were contrary to Section 6(b) &1(2) (a)of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Sections 3 & 4 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, 2015.”

Ajibare called four witnesses and tendered eight exhibits to prove his case.

The defendants, who spoke through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe and Sunday Ochai, gave evidence in their defence and did not call any other witnesses.

The judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, in the judgment held that the prosecution proved the offences of Conspiracy to Kidnap and kidnapping against the 1st – 4th defendants beyond reasonable doubt

Ogunmoye consequently convicted four out of the five defendants and sentenced them to life imprisonment for the offence of kidnapping and five years imprisonment for conspiracy to kidnap, but acquitted and discharged them for the offences of Conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery.

The 5th defendant, Ojo Tope was however acquitted and discharged for all the offences.

PUNCH