A Bayelsa High Court sitting in Yenagoa on Tuesday sentenced four persons to death by hanging over alleged conspiracy and kidnapping.
The four persons convicted are Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus and Tari Firstman.
The presiding judge, Justice Patience Diri, in the suit numbered YHC/43c/2021, found the four persons guilty of the allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping under section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law 2013.
According to the police prosecution counsel, the four persons led by Manager Etonzor stormed the site of November Dredging Company located at Ayama Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State.
The lawyer said, “While their attempt to abduct the owner of the dredging company failed, they started shooting sporadically and scared away most of the workers. But the 28-year-old Secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was forcefully taken at gun point.
“She was forced to part with the N400,000 proceeds in the company’s safe and they took the girl away to a boat on the waterside. She was taken to the kidnappers’ hideout and a ransom of N6.5million was paid for her release.”
Upon her release, after one month and three days, the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command arrested the leader of the gang, Manager Etonzor, which led to the arrest of other members of the gang.
Upon their arraignment, the convicted kidnappers accused the investigation officers of “forceful obtainment” of confession and claim “intimidation”.
The judge, after listening to the arguments the opposing lawyers, admitted their various statements, witnesses’ statements and confessions as evidence.
Justice Patience Diri in her ruling found the four accused persons guilty of the two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping filed against them.
She subsequently sentenced them to death by hanging.