Nigeria jails Kidnapper 27 years

JETHRO IBILEKE/Asaba

A Nigerian high court has sentenced a 26-year-old man, Obiora Igboanugo to 27 years imprisonment, for kidnapping. But he will however spend 7 years in jail.

Justice K.O. Okpu of the Delta State High Court, Asaba gave the judgement Friday.

Igboanugo was slammed with a five-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted murder, stealing and demanding with menace by the prosecution. The second accused person in the matter, Ikechukwu Udekwe, was however discharged and acquitted on the ground that the statement of the first accused, Igboanugo exonerated him.

Prosecution held that Igboanugo had on June 10, 2010 at Akwebulu Layout, Asaba, conspired with others now at large to kidnap one Dr. Walter Onyechi Onubogu and imprisoned him against his will.

The convict and his partners in crime, also on the same date and place shot the victim on the thigh with the intent to kill him.

Besides, they were said to had on the same date and place stole the sum of N3 million being property of one Mrs. Ifeoma Onubogu and thereafter demanded the sum of N50 million from the said Ifeoma with menace.

According to the charge sheet, the offences were punishable under relevant sections of the Criminal Code Cap. 45 Volume II Laws of the defunct Bendel State, 1976 as applicable in Delta State.

Justice Okpu pronounced the convict guilty of the five-count charge preferred against him by the prosecution and subsequently wielded the sledge hammer on him.

Igbonugo was sentenced to seven years imprisonment each on counts one, two and four and three years each on counts three and five. The jail term will however run concurrently.