From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced four persons to death by hanging over conspiracy and kidnapping.
The four persons convicted included: Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus, and Tari Firstman.
The presiding Judge, Justice Patience Diri, in the suit numbered YHC/43c/2021, found the accused guilty of the allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping under section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law 2013.
According to the Prosecutor, the four persons led by Manager Etonzor, stormed the working site of November Dredging Company located at the Ayama Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa state to kidnap the CEO of the company.
“ While their attempt to abduct the owner of the dredging company failed, they started shooting sporadically and scared away most of the workers. But the 28-year-old secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was taken away at gunpoint.
“ She was forced to part with the N400,000 proceeds in the company’s safe and taken away in a speed boat. She was taken to the kidnappers’ hideout and a ransom of N6.5million was paid for her release”.
Upon her release, after one month and three days, the operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad of the state Police Command, commenced diligent investigation and arrested the leader of the kidnapper’s gang, Etonza Manager which led to the arrest of other members of the gang.
On arraignment in Court, the convicted kidnappers accused the investigating lolice officers of,forceful obtainment of confession and claimed intimidation”.
The Court, after due argument by both Counsels, admitted their various statements, witnesses statements, and confessions as evidence.
Diri in her ruling, found the four accused guilty of the two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping and sentenced them to death by hanging.