July 16, (THEWILL) – The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state has sentenced two police officers and three others to death for kidnapping in the state.
The accused were sentenced to dead on Friday for kidnapping an Uyo-based cattle dealer, Alhaji Muhammed Umar Barkindo.
The court, presided over by Justice Eno Isangedighi, held that the accused were guilty of the offence.
She said: “The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping Alhaji Muhammad Umar Barkindo on 25th November, 2011, an offense punishable by death in Section 1(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.”
Justice Isangedighi prayed God to have mercy upon the souls of the condemned kidnappers.
The condemned police officers are Corporal Friday Udo, a native of Ikot Inyang in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, and Corporal Saturday Okorie of Ikot Etenge, also in Oruk Anam, who have since been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
Others condemned to death were: Walter Jack Udo, a native of Iwok Nsit in Nsit Atai, Udo Moses Akpaetuk of Ikot Ada Idem in Ibiono Ibom, and Udo Okon Etim from Ikot Asua in Nsit Atai, whose house was used to keep the victim, while they placed a N100 million ransom.
The judgement laid to rest the 10 years trial of the eight-man squad, who were also linked to the kidnap of a medical expert at the University of Uyo, Dr. Ini Enang in August 2011, a case which the Court discharged and acquitted the accused for want of evidence.
The three other accused persons died in the course of their trial with their names struck out by the court.
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