By Oluwadamilola Akinduro

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An Akure Magistrate’s  Court has remanded a 34-year-old labourer, Joseph Aondakaa, in a custodial centre for allegedly kidnapping his boss and collecting ransom from him.

Men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun Corps, arraigned the defendant on Tuesday on three counts of conspiracy,  kidnapping and abduction.

The state prosecutor, Mr. O. F Akeredolu, informed the court that the defendant conspired with his  three friends to commit the offence around 10pm on December 15, 2022 at lfa Camp in Ore, Odigbo Local Government of Ondo State.

The state prosecutor further told the court that the defendant and three other suspects; Sunday, Benjamin, and Tase, while armed with dangerous weapons, kidnapped Abayomi Olatunbosun, a 47-year-old farmer.

The victim was said to be  inside his house relaxing at night when the defendant and his friends came to him and marched him into the bush, where they tied and beat him. And thereafter,  they demanded for N1.5m ransom before they would release him.

Akeredolu said the defendant had on October 13, 2022 at about 10:pm, stole a BAJAJ motorcycle at Aba lju in Ore, where the bike was parked by the road side.

According to him, Aondokaa and his friends later kidnapped his boss, Olatunbosun, because he told Amotekun Corps about his whereabout after he stole the motorcycle, which led to his arrest.

He also alleged that the defendant at that time, came out from where he hid and gave his UBA account number 2279351096 to the victim to transfer the sum of N170,000.

The prosecutor added that they also collected the sum of N300,000 which was also transferred into the account of one of the kidnappers before they released the victim.

The offences, according to the prosecution, are contrary  to and punishable under Section 516, 3(ii) (b), 1(1) and (2) of the Robbery and Firearms ( Special Provisions) Acts, Cap R.11, Volume 14, LFN, 2004.

The defendant’s plea was not taken for lack of jurisdiction.

In view  of the charge, Akeredolu, in an oral application, urged the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“Relying on the averment in the affidavit attached to the application, there is probable cause to remand the defendant,” the prosecutor stated.

The presiding magistrate,  D.S. Sekoni,  in his ruling, granted the request of the prosecution and ordered that the defendant should be remanded at Olokuta Correctional facility pending the DPP’s  advice.

He adjourned the case till April 26, 2023, for mention.