The Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, on Monday, sentenced three persons to death by hanging over the kidnap of two Reverend sisters and their driver at Onipetesi area along the Ore-Lagos highway about four years ago.
The three accused were said to have demanded and collected the sum of N1m as a ransom for the release of the three victims before they regained their freedom.
About seven people were dragged before the Court and arraigned for the kidnapping of the Reverend Sisters.
The accused include, Reuben Akinbehinje (a.k.a Chairman), Saheed Oyewo (a.k.a Olaoluwa), Seun Lajuwomi (a.k.a Ebile), Abimbola Akinbehinje, John Imoleayo Uche (a.k.a Uchenna), Seun Iseoluwa Akintan (a.k.a Egbegbe) and Lateef Fayemi Hammed.
They were charged on a five-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, aiding and abetting kidnapping and accessory after the fact was preferred against them.
The accused persons were said to have kidnapped and held their victims hostage for 11 days in the bush until the ransom was paid in 2016.
Testifying against the defendants, an official of the Directorate of State Service (DSS), Johnson Siunu, explained that the kidnappers were tracked and arrested through the phone number they used to negotiate and monitor the delivery of ransom payment.
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Delivering his judgement, Justice Ademola Adegoroye, said the prosecution failed to produce evidence before the Court against Seun and Lateef Fayemi and therefore discharged them.
The Judge, however, Justice found Reuben, Uche and Seun guilty of all the charges and sentenced them to death by hanging.
He said the prosecution has been able to prove the case of conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping against the three convicts and sentenced them accordingly.
The Judge also fined Abimbola Akinbehinje, wife of one of the accused, Reuben, who was charged with being an accessory after the fact the sum of N50,000 while one of the accused Saheed was said to have died in the prison.
Two Catholic Reverend Sisters, Apo Perpetual and Roseline Familade, including their driver identified as Zwugwa Zibai, were abducted by the accused in May 2016 while the convicts were arrested in 2018.
Three kidnappers of Reverend sisters in Ondo to die by hanging
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