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Three kidnappers sentenced to death in Delta

By Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba
02 May 2016   |   5:40 am
Three kidnappers, Augustine Akpojivi, Dawel James and Collins Enye were at the weekend, sentenced to death by a Delta State High Court, sitting in Effurun.

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Three kidnappers, Augustine Akpojivi, Dawel James and Collins Enye were at the weekend, sentenced to death by a Delta State High Court, sitting in Effurun.

The three accused persons were also found guilty by the trial Judge (name withheld), on three other counts of conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, demanding property with menace and stealing and were slammed with a jail term of 20 years each with hard labour.

The trio of Akpojiv, 29, a driver, James, 29, also driver and Enye, a 24 year old commercial bike rider, popularly called Okada and others now at large, had on August, 10, 2013 at Aka Avenue, Effurun within the Effurun Judicial Division, did conspired and kidnapped one Rufus Uzoma Allwell.

The kidnapped victim was a staff of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC). They were armed with guns and demanded for a ransom of N2 million before releasing their victim.

However, two accused persons were lucky as they escaped the death sentence, having been discharged and acquitted by the court.

The two discharged accused persons are the first and fifth accused, Samuel Okoloda and Precious Victor Ochuko, who were acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime by prosecution.

The trial judge averred that the third accused person, James, who was the driver of Allwell, master minded the abduction of his boss and received part of the N2 million ransom paid by the elder brother of his boss.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor, expressed optimism that the judgment of the court will send a strong signal to criminally-minded persons in the state, that it was not business as usual.

He assured that the state government will continue to protect and uphold the laws of the state, while creating an enabling environment for investors and people to live together freely and more harmoniously.

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