Ekiti kidnapping conviction sentencing sees Ado Ekiti High Court jail two men for 25 years each over kidnapping and conspiracy charges
Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced two men, Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdulahi Abubakar, to 25 years imprisonment each for kidnapping following a prolonged criminal trial involving conspiracy, murder allegations and abduction.
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Justice Lekan Ogunmoye delivered the judgment after proceedings that began in October 2022, during which four defendants were initially arraigned over charges linked to kidnapping and conspiracy offences.
The Ekiti kidnapping conviction sentencing followed accusations that the defendants conspired in March and April 2022 to carry out criminal acts, including the abduction of Omoboade Adesina and the killing of her husband, Taiwo Adesina.
Court records showed that the case involved Ibrahim Abubakar, Usman Abubakar, Abdulahi Abubakar, and Abdulazeez Alebiosu, although Alebiosu died while the trial was ongoing.
During testimony, the victim recounted a harrowing experience in which armed men attacked her husband on his farm, leading to his death, before later abducting her in a separate incident and demanding ransom from her family.
She told the court that she was able to identify some of the suspects during police parade, a key aspect of the prosecution’s evidence.
The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented multiple witnesses alongside documentary evidence, including statements from the defendants and mobile phone call logs.
However, defence counsel Chris Omokhafe argued against the charges, and the defendants called no witnesses in their defence.
Delivering judgment, Justice Ogunmoye discharged and acquitted Usman Abubakar on the grounds that the victim did not specifically identify him.
The court also found that the prosecution failed to prove conspiracy to commit murder beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the discharge of all defendants on counts relating to conspiracy and murder.
However, the judge held that Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdulahi Abubakar were guilty of kidnapping, sentencing them to 25 years imprisonment each.
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The ruling marks a significant conclusion to a case that has drawn attention in Ekiti State due to its violent circumstances and lengthy judicial process
