Court sentences kidnap kingpin to 11 years imprisonment in Delta

Kingpin of a criminal gang allegedly responsible for the spate of kidnappings, particularly in Anambra and Delta states, one Chief Daniel Okafor, alias Odogwu Anam, has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment with hard labour by an Asaba High Court.

The said Chief Okafor, believed to have certain magical powers, was alleged to have attempted to kidnap an Asaba-based industrialist, Chief John Ucheche, on January 16, 2013.

Okafor, who allegedly claimed to be the chairman of a National Task Force on Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Light Weapons and Monitoring of Oil Pipeline Vandalism, River Niger Operations, was found guilty on the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: kidnapping, punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Volume I, Laws of Delta State 2006.

The Asaba court sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment on the count of conspiracy to kidnap and six years imprisonment on the count of the attempted kidnap of the Asaba-based industrialist.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted the accused on the charge of attempted murder.

Okafor was arrested following the confessional statement of one of the assailants, Ifeanyi (surname withheld), who later escaped from police custody after his arrest, on the attempted kidnap.

The suspect at large reportedly admitted being part of the armed gang that attempted to kidnap the Asaba-based industrialist during police interrogation. He was also said to have mentioned Okafor as the one who sent him and others on the mission.

The victim of the failed kidnap had petitioned the Delta State Commissioner of Police through his lawyer, stating that his assailants attempted to kill him as they shot at him, injuring him in his hand and destroying two tyres of his Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle.