Court Sentences Two Men To Death For Kidnapping In Asaba

Two men-Cheylnor Halim and Emeka Okeze, were yesterday sentenced to death by hanging by an Asaba High Court in the Asaba Criminal Division of the Delta State High Court.

The accused persons kidnapped one Joan N. Osemene to an unknown destination at Ibusa, Delta State on February 9, 2014. The first accused and one lady at large slapped the victim, threatened her with a gun and covered her nose with a cloth with a strong smell and she passed out”.

“At the unknown destination, their gang leader, Edozie Obude, who was killed in a gun duel with the officers of the State Security Service (SSS), at their hide out, held the victim by the throat, hit her on the neck with a metal, ordered that she should be searched and was disposed of her ATM Card and the sum of N10, 000 cash.

The ATM card was used to withdraw the sum of N55, 000 from the victims account. Her hands and legs were tied and were taken to another location where they left her; she was able to free herself and escaped”. The motorcyclist she flagged down in her bid to escape turned out to be the first accused.

She raised the alarm and he was caught through the help of passerby, who handed him over to the state Security Service. The second accused was arrested through the 1st accused.

The presiding Judge, Justice Sylvester Okoh held that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, kidnapping and assault punishable under section 1(2)(a) of the robbery and fire arms (Special provisions) Act Cap R. 11 Volume 14, Laws of the Federation 2014 and under section 3(1)(a) of the Delta State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism Law 2013 against the convicts. Their defense was dismissed and they were accordingly found guilty and convicted accordingly.