Court sentences four kidnappers to death over murder of businessman

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four men to death for the abduction and killing of an Anambra-born businessman, Mr. Chijioke Anyanwu.

The court found the convicts guilty of kidnapping Anyanwu, the owner of Jon KAMSY Supermarket in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, and killing him after collecting a ₦3 million ransom from his family.

Those sentenced are Marvelous Ndah, 38, from Ikot Iyire, Edemaya in Ikot Abasi LGA; Anthony Akpan, 37, of Ekput village in Ibiono Ibom LGA; Aniema Eshiet, 34, from Oborenyin community in Ikot Abasi LGA; and Onyebule Gift Ogbonna, 41, from Omuma LGA in Rivers State.

Two other defendants, Uche Success Nwokocha and Chidi Christian Nwokoma, who were tried alongside them, were discharged and acquitted after the court held that there was insufficient evidence connecting them to the crime.

The four convicts were arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy under Section 552 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000, and kidnapping contrary to Section 1(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law, 2009.

Delivering judgment, Justice Archibong Archibong ruled that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction and sentencing of the defendants.

Court proceedings revealed that Anyanwu was kidnapped on January 25, 2016, in front of his residence in Ikot Abasi.

Although his family paid a ₦3 million ransom, he later died under unclear circumstances while in captivity. His remains were buried in a shallow grave at Ikot Iyire, Edemaya, and were discovered and exhumed about four months later.

Evidence further showed that the same gang abducted a lecturer of Akwa Ibom State University, Mrs. Jewel Emem Thomas, from her home along Ikpetim Road, Ikot Abasi, in the early hours of April 16, 2016.

After a ₦2 million ransom was paid in Port Harcourt on April 19, 2016, the victim was released and abandoned near ALSCON in Ikot Abasi with ₦80 transport fare.

Investigations by the Department of State Services led to the arrest of Ndah on April 26, 2016, in Uyo.

He later confessed to his role in the kidnappings, including the murder of Anyanwu, and provided information that resulted in the arrest of Akpan and Eshiet.

Ndah admitted receiving ₦400,000 from the Anyanwu ransom and participating in several other abductions in 2016, including those of a bank worker, a petroleum marketer, and a former councillor in Ikot Abasi LGA.

Akpan, in his statement, acknowledged supplying intelligence for some of the kidnappings, including that of the former councillor and the AKSU lecturer, and collecting various sums from ransom payments.

Eshiet also admitted guarding the abducted lecturer for several days and receiving a share of the ransom, while Ogbonna was found to have played an active role in the gang’s criminal activities.

Justice Archibong, however, ruled that the evidence against Nwokocha and Nwokoma was not credible enough to sustain their prosecution, leading to their acquittal.