Four Kidnappers To Die By Hanging For Armed Robbery.

Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, Southwest Nigeria, has sentenced four young men to death for conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping.

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 The News Agency of Nigeria reports. The trial judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, while delivering judgment on Thursday in the charge brought against the defendants (now convicts), held that the prosecution proved the charges of conspiracy, robbery and kidnapping against the convicts beyond all reasonable doubt.

Four Kidnappers To Die By Hanging For Armed Robbery.

The state government, through the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr Babajide Martins, prosecuted the accused following their arrests by the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force. Since then, the defendants arraigned before the court on July 13, 2013, and held in prison custody, committed the offences around 8:30 a.m. on November 19, 2012. The incident occurred at Unity Close, Ogudu, Lagos State.

During the 10 years of trial, the prosecution submitted that the first convict was a former employee of the victim’s elder brother who was sacked after engaging in a fight. He told the court that the defendants kidnapped the victim when she was about to leave her residence on November 19, 2012.

He also told the court that the victim was kidnapped, blindfolded, thrown inside a car booth, and driven to an unknown area in Ikorodu, Lagos. However, the victim was later released on November 22, 2012, after a ransom of $70,000 was paid by her husband.

According to the report, the prosecution, during the trial, called four witnesses who testified against the defendants. He told the court that the defendants’ offences contravene Sections 297, 285 (2) and 291 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Nigeria 2015.

Delivering judgment on the case, Justice Lawal-Akapo said: “The first defendant was arrested after the IMEI number of the victim’s Nokia phone, which got lost, was inserted into another phone, bringing out all the information. “He made a confessional statement that led to the arrest of the second defendant.

I have tested the word, and it passed all conditions.

“The confessional statement that the first defendant worked with the victim’s elder brother collaborated by other witnesses.” I rely on the confessional statement, and the guilt of the accused persons has been established.”

Lawal-Akapo said the prosecution proved the offences of conspiracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping against the convicts. “I have listened to all the allocutus by all the counsel, but these are able young men who have unleashed terror on people, and they must therefore face the music.

“The defendants are sentenced to 10 years jail term each for the first count, conspiracy.

“They are also now sentenced to death by hanging for the second count of armed robbery, and consequently sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment for the third count, kidnapping.”

The defence counsel, Mrs Helen Ibeji, Mr S.P. Okeke and Mrs Scholastical Nwogu, in their allocutus, begged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying that the defendants were first-time offenders who had learnt their lessons. But the prosecution urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants per the law.