Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Ogbia Local Council of the state, yesterday, sentenced four men who abducted a former state’s Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Federal Otokito, to 40 years imprisonment each.
Justice S.W. Amaduobogha, while delivering judgement in suit number OHC/4c/2022, declared Kingsley Obhesi, 24, Joshua Abi, 32, Gift Damene, 38, and Powell Inegite, 36, guilty as charged on conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
The convicts were arrested by operatives of Operation Puff Adder, led by SP Chris Nwaogbo, and were believed to have been boys working with a prominent ex-militant leader in the state.
The ex-commissioner was abducted in 2022 from his home in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Council, and taken to a bush in Igbomotoru, where they demanded ransom.
The gunmen reportedly invaded the neighbourhood, shooting sporadically into the air to frighten the locals before whisking the former commissioner away.
The prosecuting counsel, Stella Jerry-Friday, told the court that four men armed with sophisticated guns and offensive weapons, on January 20, 2022, at Otuokpoti, unlawfully took away Otokito against his will.
According to her, they and took him to Igbomotoru bush in the Southern Ijaw area of the state with intent to demand ransom or any other unlawful consideration, and thereby committed an offence.
Justice S.W. Amaduobogha, after hearing from the prosecuting counsel and the defendants’ counsel, held that the investigative and prosecution team had done due diligence.
He noted that they proved their case beyond any reasonable doubt on the charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms against the convicts.
