A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa on Wednesday, January 29, sentenced four men to d€ath by hanging for conspiracy and kidnapping.
The convicts are Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus and Tari Firstman.
The presiding Judge, Justice Patience Diri, in the suit numbered YHC/43c/2021, found the four persons guilty of the allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping under Section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law 2013.
According to the police prosecution counsel, the four persons led by Etonzor had stormed the working site of a Dredging Company located at the Ayama Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State to abduct the owner of the company.
“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 years old Secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was forcefully taken at gun point,” the prosecution said.
“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’ hide out 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 Bayelsa State Police Command commenced diligent investigation and through due investigation arrested the leader of the kidnapper’s gang, Etonza Manager, which led to the arrest of other member of the gang.
“On arraignment in court, the convicted kidnappers accused the investigation officers of ‘forceful obtainment ‘of confession and claim ‘intimidation.’”
The court, after listening to arguments by both counsel, admitted their various statements, witnesses’ statements and confessions as evidence.
Justice Diri, in her ruling, found the four accused persons guilty of the two count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping and sentenced them to death by hanging.