A Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa, has sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for conspiracy and kidnapping.
The convicted persons, identified as Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus, and Tari Firstman, were found guilty of abducting workers of a dredging company in the Southern Ijaw local government area.
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Presiding over the case, Justice Patience Diri, in the suit numbered YHC/43c/2021, ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts violated Section 2(1) of the Bayelsa State Anti-Kidnapping Law of 2013.
The police prosecution stated that the gang, led by Etonzor, invaded the November Dredging Company’s worksite in Ayama Ijaw, forcefully taking their victims hostage.
He said, “While their attempt to abduct the owner of the dredging company failed, they started shooting sporadically and scare away most of the workers. But the 28-year-old secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was forcefully taken at gunpoint.
“She was forced to part with the N400,000 proceeds in the company’s safe and took the girl away to a boat on the waterside. She was taken to the kidnappers’ hideout, and a ransom of N6.5 million was paid for her release.
“Upon her release, after one month and three days, the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command commenced a diligent investigation and, through due investigation, arrested the leader of the kidnappers’ gang, Etonza Manager, which led to the arrest of another member of the gang.”
On arraignment in court, the convicted kidnappers accused the investigation officers of “forceful obtainment” of confession and claimed “intimidation.”.
After due argument by both Counsels, the court admitted their various statements, witnesses’ statements, and confessions as evidence.
Justice Patience Diri, in her rulings, found the four accused guilty of the two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping and sentenced them to death by hanging.