A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, convicted and sentenced three men to death by hanging for kidnapping and murder.

The trial judge, Monina Danagogo, convicted the three men, identified as Boma Thompson, Emelike Mathias, and Daniel Thankgod on a four-count charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and murder of the late Abbot Ogbobula.

Although four people were arraigned for the kidnap of the late Ogbobula in June 2017, only the first, the second and fourth defendants were convicted, while the third defendant was discharged and acquitted of all charges.

In his verdict, the judge, in respect to count one (conspiracy to kidnap), convicted and sentenced the first, second and fourth defendants to seven years imprisonment with no option of fine.

In respect to count 3 (conspiracy to murder the late Abbot Ogbobula), the convicts were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with no option of fine.

In counts two and four (kidnapping and murder of the late Abbot Ogbobula), they were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging or by lethal injection.

Speaking outside the courtroom, counsel to Goodnews Nwoka, who is the third defendant, Augustine Ojekudo, expressed joy over the judgment.

“He is very happy. He was only trying to help, and that got him into trouble. He was the Chief Security Officer of the local council, and even arrested the first defendant, whom he handed over to the police. But somehow, he was arrested. This has convinced me that the courts are indeed the last hope for the common man and are indeed capable of dispensing justice,” he said.

Recall that in June 2017 the late Ogbobula was kidnapped in Ahoada and taken by his abductors to Manikin bush in Degema Local Council, where he was held hostage and died eventually in the hands of his abductors.

He was buried in a shallow grave in the said bush. But his body was later exhumed in the course of a police investigation.