Finally, court jails Ozekhome’s kidnappers 20 years each
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced two men to 20 years imprisonment for the abduction of a senior lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, and murder of six security operatives, Premium Times reports.
The convicts – Kelvin Ezeiegbe and Frank Azuekor – were said to have received N40 million ransom before releasing the victim in 2013.
Mr Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was kidnapped alongside his driver on 23 August 2013 at the Ehor stretch of the Benin-Auchi highway in Edo State.
Four police officers who responded to Mr Ozekhome’s abduction were ambushed and killed by Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor.
Binta Nyako, the judge, found Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor guilty of kidnapping, terrorism and murder.
However, the judge discharged and acquitted Michael Omonigho and Haruna Momoh who were the third and fourth defendants, respectively.
Ms Nyako said the prosecution failed to substantiate allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping against Messrs Omonigho and Momoh.
Mr Momoh had escaped from prison at Kuje in Abuja during last year’s jailbreak that led to the escape of several inmates.
Handing down the sentence on Friday, Ms Nyako ordered security agencies to arrest Mr Momoh and put him on trial for escaping from lawful custody.
The convicts were first arraigned before Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja on 13-count charge in June 2013.
Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor were tried for conspiracy to commit terrorist act, kidnapping of persons, inciting persons to commit act terrorism recruitment and abetting escape.
The offences were said to be punishable under Section 17 of Terrorism Prevention Act amongst other counts.
Reviewing the prosecution’s evidence, the judge said Mr Ozekhome’s “testimony was central to the prosecution’s evidence.”
The prosecution led by Chioma Onuegbu, a lawyer at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, called seven witnesses and tendered 16 exhibits in aid of its case.
Mr Ozekhome, who was the sixth prosecution witness, had told the court that he was kidnapped by Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor as well as other members of their kidnap ring.
The senior lawyer disclosed that he paid a N40 million ransom to the convicts before he was released from their dungeon.
He also said he spent three weeks in the kidnappers den.
“Mike Ozekhome is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and swore with the Holy Bible while giving his testimony,” the judge recalled.
Ms Nyako said he was a witness of truth whose testimony could not be ignored.
In cinvicting Messrs Ezeiegbe and Azuekor, the judge also relied on a letter from the Delata State Attorney-General to the Attorney-General of the Federation which said Mr Azuekor was indicted for a crime in the state prior to his arrest for kidnapping Mr Ozekhome.
She noted that the convicts denial of their confessional statements was immaterial as they did not provide an alibi for the crimes.
“The first defendant (Mr Ezeiegbe) aided and abetted the second defendant (Mr Azuekor),” the judge said of Mr Ezeiegbe and his gang members’ killing of two prison officials who were escorting Mr Azuekor to court in Delta State for another criminal trial.
While Mr Azuekor was being ferried to court for trial in Delta, Mr Ezeiegbe and his armed gang members ambushed a prison vehicle, killing two personnel in the process before setting Mr Azuekor free.
“I find him (Mr Azuekor) guilty of escaping from lawful custody.
“I find that the prosecution has proven its case. This is very believable evidence,” the judge said.
“We need to send right messages to society that it is not acceptable to do bad behaviour,” Ms Nyako said.
“The convicts are hereby sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each. Their prison term will run from the date of their arrest,” the judge said.
She ordered the State Security Service (SSS) who have held the convicts for ten years to transfer them to a correctional centre.
The convicts were arrested on 25 September 2013 by a combined team of SSS operatives and the Nigerian army.
In the decade-long trial, the case journey through three judges of the court before terminating before Ms Nyako on Friday.
Mr Ademola first adjudicated on the case before it was transferred to another federal judge, Taiwo Taiwo.
Upon his release, Mr Ozekhome described his ordeal in the kidnappers den as “horrific,” calling on then federal government of President Goodluck Jonathan to tinker with the Nigerian constitution with a view to creating state police.
The lawyer said having a decentralised policing system would help address violent crimes such as kidnapping and banditry.
However, the government paid no heed to Mr Ozekhome’s recommendations.
Kidnapping for ransom has since spread to every part of Nigeria.
