Man bags life imprisonment over kidnapping

A High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, on Thursday sentenced an accused, Samson Kajopelaye, to a life imprisonment over the abduction of one Alhaji Adeyinka Yusuf.

Kajopelaye and one other accused person,  Abimbola Osinyemi were arrested by detectives from the Ondo state police command after the victim regained his freedom and reported the incident at the Ore police station.

The two men were arraigned before the court on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, aiding and abetting kidnapping.

They, however, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all the charges preferred against them when it was read to them.

The victim,  Yusuf, who testified at the court, during the proceedings, narrated his experience and ordeal in the hands of his abductors.

According to him, he was kidnapped on his way to his house while coming from work by some armed men who dragged him into a waiting car.

Yusuf explained that some residents of the area who noticed the development rescued him by barricading the road, preventing the hoodlums from taking him away.

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He said the two accused were later arrested while others ran away and the matter was later reported at the Ore police station.

The court admitted some exhibits brought before it as evidence, which included two live cartridges, Honda Accord car and the statements of the accused persons and that of the complainant.

In his judgment, the judge, Justice O. A  Odusola, said with the graphic narration of the complainant, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the first defendant aided, facilitated and encouraged the kidnap of Yusuf by making his car available for the dastardly act.

The Judge, however, sentenced Kajopelaye to life imprisonment but ruled that there was not enough evidence to convict the second accused person and thereafter discharged and acquitted him.