Ekiti court sentences 2 to fifty years in prison for kidnapping
Ekiti Court Sentences Two Men to 25 Years for Kidnapping
Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State — An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced two men to 25 years in prison each for their involvement in kidnapping. Ibrahim Abubakar, 44, and Abdulahi Abubakar, 41, were given the sentence on [insert date] by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye. Usman Abubakar, 49, was also charged but was acquitted due to a lack of evidence linking him to the crimes. A fourth defendant, Abdulazeez Alebiosu, 59, died during the trial.
The charges stem from incidents occurring on March 9 and April 22, 2022, in Ado Ekiti. The defendants conspired to murder Taiwo Adesina and to kidnap Omoboade Adesina, in violation of sections of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.
During the proceedings, the victim recounted the harrowing details of her husband’s murder at the hands of a gang of gunmen on his farm, as well as her own abduction shortly thereafter. She described how her relatives negotiated a ransom of 10 million naira, ultimately paying 3.25 million naira for her release. She stated she recognized some of her captors when they were later shown to the public by police.
To establish the case against the defendants, prosecutor Kunle-Shina Adeyemo presented testimony from seven witnesses, alongside the defendants’ statements and telecommunications records as evidence. The defendants, represented by counsel Chris Omokhafe, did not call any witnesses in their defense.
In delivering his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye noted that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges of conspiracy and murder against Usman Abubakar, leading to his acquittal. The judge emphasized that the prosecution had not conclusively demonstrated that Ibrahim and Abdulahi Abubakar conspired to murder Taiwo Adesina, resulting in their discharge from those specific charges.
However, the court found sufficient evidence for the kidnapping charges, leading to the 25-year sentences for Ibrahim and Abdulahi Abubakar.
