Court sentences driver, student to death for kidnapping in Delta

A Delta state High Court sitting at Warri, presided over by Justice A.A. Onojovwo, has sentenced two members of notorious gang of armed robbers and kidnappers in Isoko South local government to death for kidnapping and multiple armed robberies.
The convicts, Ejemuta Adam Ogofure, a driver and native of Canan community in Isoko South local government and Collins Okoro, from Ekieugbo, Ughelli North local government, who to be a HND student of the department of Banking and Finance of Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara were found guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, kidnapping, attempted kidnap and demanding property.
Justice Onojovwo while delivering judgement condemned the criminal acts of the two accused persons for their complicity in multiple armed robbery operations.
They were sentenced for kidnapping Mr. Ogboghro Vincent, a Polytechnic Don with the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, kidnapped by the criminal gang on the 7th day of May, 2012 at Irri, within the Oleh judicial division and also robbed him of his Honda Accord (Baby Boy) car with registration No. AL 51 LEH and placing a ransom of N5 million for his release.
The trial judge held that prosecuting counsel from the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Jereoma Sam-Oligida (Mrs.) proved beyond reasonable doubt essential ingredients of the crime of conspiracy to kidnap one Mr. Ogboghro Vincent, and the attempted kidnap of one Mrs Precious Ibenegbu.
Justice Onojovwo also said that prosecution was able to establish the case of the substantial offence of kidnapping and multiple armed robberies against two out of the three accused persons arraigned before the court on a 10 count charge.
The court, however, discharged the 3rd accused person, 24-year-old Jonny Oghenemairo, of all charges for want of sufficient evidence but was seriously warned to desist from committing crime as he might not be lucky when arrested again.
Justice Onojovwo who condemned the kidnappers to death by hanging for the offences of armed robberies, slammed them with a sentence of 5 years imprisonment each for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and 7 years imprisonment each respectively for kidnapping.
They were charged under the old law that prescribed a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment for offenders.
Counsel to the State, Jereoma Sam-Oligida (Mrs.) through prosecuting witnesses, had told the court that after Mr. Ogboghro Vincent was kidnapped and robbed of his car and other valuables, he was whisked away to somewhere around Otrofani, Bayelsa state where he was unlawfully kept while a ransom of N5 million was demanded from his family members before his release.
The court was further told that a ransom of N700, 000 was eventually paid to his captors before he regained freedom after spending 10 days in captivity.