Court sentences three to death for kidnapping, murder

Latest update on Xclick24 03-June-2020

Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced three persons to death for kidnapping and murder.

Kingsley Worlu Chuku, Uchendu Macpherson Elindam and Obinna Chuku, were sentenced to death while Godknows Wokem, and Promise Jim, got life imprisonment, after they were convicted by the court yesterday.

The prosecutor, Department for Security Service, DSS, had brought nine suspects to court on six counts in charge number PHC/PH/148c/2017, bordering on conspiracy, illegal possession of fire arm, kidnapping and murder, punishable under the Terrorism Prevention ACT, 2013, as Amended.

The DSS had arrested nine suspects in connection with the kidnap of Dr. Alexander Akani, a consultant with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, on the 29th of June, 2017, at his residence in Rumuekini, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

Investigations by the DSS also revealed that the suspects had in 2015 kidnapped and murdered one Deyspring Braide, a former Head of Local Government Administrator of Asari-Toru Local Government.

Justice James Omotosho, in his judgment convicted five of the suspects in the matter and acquitted four others, Henry Elebiga, Destiny Chidiebere Wosu, Stanley IbuchibWosu and Elizabeth Chuku, brought to the court by the DSS.

Omotosho in count one sentenced the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the 5th Defendant to 20 years in prison without option of fine.

In the second count bordering on kidnapping and collection of N1,600,000, as ransom, the court sentenced the 1st to the 5th defendants to life imprisonment, while the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants got 20 years in prison for illegal possession of fire arm as charged in count three.

The Judge, however, sentenced the 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants (Kingsley Worlu Chuku, Uchendu Macpherson Elindam and Obinna Chuku, to death in count 6, bordering on the kidnap and murder of Deyspring Braide.

Omotosho said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to other youths involved in kidnapping, commending the DSS for being thorough in their investigation.