The High Court of Bayelsa State, located in Yenagoa, has sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for their alleged involvement in conspiracy and kidnapping.
The convicted individuals are Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus, and Tari Firstman, Naijaonpoint understands.
On Wednesday, the presiding Judge, Justice Patience Diri, ruled in case number YHC/43c/2021, finding all four guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping charges as outlined in Section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law of 2013.
As stated by the prosecution from the police, the group, led by Etonzor, had invaded the worksite of a dredging company situated in Ayama Ijaw within the Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State with the intent to kidnap the company’s owner.
The court verdict reads: “While their attempt to abduct the owner of the dredging company failed, they started shooting sporadically and scared away most of the workers. But the 28 year old Secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was forcefully taken at gunpoint.
“She was forced to part with the ₦400,000 proceeds in the company’s safe and took the girl away to a boat on the waterside. She was taken to the kidnappers’ hideout out and a ransom of ₦6.5 million 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 a diligent investigation and, through due investigation, arrested the leader of the Kidnapper’s gang, Etonza Manager, which led to the arrest of other members 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 counsels, 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.