Ekiti: Four sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping 

An Ekiti State High Court sentenced four persons to life imprisonment for an offence bordering on kidnapping.

The judgement was passed on Tuesday and was accordingly sentenced to five years imprisonment for the offence.

The convicts, Adeoye Sunday, Adewusi Dare, Bamigboye Damilola and Ogunlayi Seun were also found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap by the court presided over by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye.

The 5th defendant, one Ojo Tope was however acquitted and discharged for all the offences.

The convicts committed the offences on September 14, 2017, at lkere-Ekiti where they kidnapped a 75-year-old Madam Florence Popoola in her house and kept her in the forest between Eyio and Awo-Ekiti for four days until she was eventually released after the payment of N1.5 million ransom.

The four convicts were arrested and charged to Court with the offences of Conspiracy and Armed Robbery contrary to Section 6(b) &1(2) (a)of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Kidnapping and Conspiracy to Kidnap contrary to Sections 3 & 4 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law,2015.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State called four witnesses and tendered eight exhibits to prove his case.