By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday sentenced four persons to life imprisonment for conspiracy and kidnapping.

The court, presided over by Justice A.L. Ogunmoye, named the convicts as Adeoye Sunday, Adewusi Dare, Bamigboye Damilola, and Ogunlayi Seun, who were convicted for the offence of kidnapping and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for the offence of conspiracy.

The fifth defendant, Ojo Tope, was acquitted and discharged of all the offences.

According to the court, the offences were committed by the convicts on September 14, 2017, at Ikere-Ekiti, where Madam Florence Popoola, a 75-year-old woman, was kidnapped from her house and held in a forest between Eyio and Awo-Ekiti for four days until she was eventually released after a ransom of ₦1.5 million was paid.

The four convicts were arrested and charged in court with the offences of conspiracy and armed robbery, contrary to Sections 6(b) & 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, contrary to Sections 3 & 4 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, 2015.

According to an official from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State, four witnesses were called, and eight exhibits were tendered to prove the case.

The convicts, through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe and Sunday Ochai, gave evidence in their defence but did not call any other witnesses.

After thoroughly evaluating the evidence, the court delivered its judgment and held that the prosecution had proven the offences of conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping against the first to fourth defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

The Judge consequently convicted four of the five defendants and sentenced them to life imprisonment.