2 Police Officers Sentenced To Death For Kidnapping For N100m Ransom

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

“May God have mercy upon your souls.” This was the prayer of Justice Eno Isangedighi of the Akwa Ibom High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene, who sentenced two Policemen and three others to death for conspiracy and kidnapping for N100m ransom.

The defendants were arrested  and charged before the Court after they conspired and kidnapped a cattle dealer, Alhaji Muhammad Umar Barkindo, in Uyo area of the State and demanded the said ransom.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the condemned Policemen were 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 were dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force before they faced trial for the alleged crime.

Also condemned to death were Walter Jack Udo, a native of Iwok Nsit in Nsit Atai, Udo Moses Akpaetuk of Ikot Ada Idem, Ibiono Ibom and Udo Okon Etim from Ikot Asua in Nsit Atai, whose house was used to keep the victim while they demanded N100m ransom.

The judgement was delivered 10 years after the trial of the 8-men now convicted, who were also linked to the kidnap of a medical expert at the University of Uyo, Dr. Ini Enang, in August, 2011. 
However, the Court discharged and acquitted the defendants for want of evidence on the matter but convicted them to death for kidnapping the victim.
The three other defendants died in the course of their trial with their names struck out by the Court.

In her judgment, Justice Eno Isangedighi held the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubts and then found the defendants guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping Alhaji Barkindo on 25th November, 2011.

The offence is punishable by death according to Section One Subsection Two of Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.