By Michael Ofulue

There was a mild drama at an Akure Magistrate Court when an accused person standing trial in a case of attempted kidnapping, told the court that a policeman was his accomplice.
The 49-year-old accused, Daniel Afolabi, was arraigned by the police over an attempt to abduct a medical practitioner, Dr Francis Akanbiemu, while demanding N200,000 ransom from the victim.
Afolabi admitted that he conspired with a policeman whom he described as his partner- in-crime, claiming that they both attempted kidnapping the victim.
He told the court that they also demanded N200,000 from the victim, but that the police exonerated their colleague from the crime.
According to him, he had some dealings with the alleged policeman, stressing that the police investigators released their colleague earlier arrested alongside with him.
Having carefully listened to the accused, the Magistrate, Mrs Oyedele, berated the police and directed that the matter, especially the ‘alibi’ plea of the accused be thoroughly investigated.
Oyedele, who frowned at the police over what she described as ‘improper’ investigation of the matter, warned the police to stop being an investigator as well as a judge in their own case.
The complaint, who was also in court, explained how he received several messages and calls of threat to life by the accused and his accomplices.
The police had dragged the accused to the court on the count of attempted Kidnapping, and unlawful demand of N200, 000 ransom from the victim
The charge sheet read, “That you, Daniel Afolabi, 49, on April 16,2020 at about 2.20pm at Akure within Akure Magisterial District did attempt to kidnap one Dr Francis Akanbiemu by compelling him to pay the sum of N200, 000 ransom, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of Anti-kidnapping/Abduction Law (Special provision Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2010.
“That you, Daniel Afolabii, on the same date, time and place unlawfully sent threat text messages to the following GSM numbers; 09038108166 and 08011650933, belonging to Dr Francis Akanbiemu and directed him to pay N200, 000 cash as ransom, contrary to and punishable under Section 406 of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Volume 1,Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The accused, however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.