Two kidnappers were sentenced to death by hanging by the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division on Monday.
The duo who were identified as 41-years-old Kola Makinde and 30-years-old Haruna Bika were arraigned on six counts bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, rape and kidnapping.
Makinde and Bika were said to have armed with gun and Cutlass attacked robbed one Taiwo Oni and Mohammed Ayomide of their phones as well as another Adejuwon Gbenga of N31,000.”
During the attack which occured in Idi Mango Camp, Ilasa Ekiti on October 6, 202, they also abducted one Adejuwon Daramola and raped a 19 years old mother of five month-old-baby.”
According to the prosecutor, Olasanmi Oluwaseun, their offences contravenes Sections 516, and 401(2) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 also Section 2 (2) of the Ekiti State Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019 and Section 3 (a) of the Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Laws of Ekiti State, 2015″.
One of the victims who narrated his experience in his statement to the police disclosed that he was woken up by a bang on his door and ordered with a gun pointed at his head to open the door, said, “When they entered, they beat my wife and I with cutlass, they took away N31,000 I collected from a business centre in the afternoon.”
“Thereafter, they took my daughter outside and with the intention to rape her, but she resisted following which they ordered her to sit with those already captured outside. They kidnapped Adejuwon and later demanded for N5 million ransom.”
Similarly, another victim, a 19 year mother of five months old baby said that she had wanted to escape, following shouts of her neighbour, “but before I knew it, they entered our house, they asked of my neighbour, I told them I did not see him, they collected my baby from me, they removed my pant and had sex with me.”
“They were later arrested by the vigilantes in the community, they were recognised and identified by their face and cap forgotten at one of the crime scene.”
The prosecutor, Oluwaseun, called seven witnesses and tendered defendants’ statements and cap as exhibit while the defendants, who spoke through their counsels, called one witness.
The presiding judge, Justice Olalekan Olatawura in his judgement found the two men guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery and convicted them accordingly.
“For Count one (conspiracy), the defendants are sentenced to seven years, counts two and three (armed robbery), the defendants are sentenced to death and be hanged by the neck until they will be dead, may God have mercy on your souls, count six (kidnapping), the defendants are sentenced to life imprisonment.
The judge added: “The sentences are to run concurrently.”