On Friday, a Federal High Court sentenced two of the four defendants to 20 years in prison each in Abuja after finding them guilty of abducting Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
Jerrymusa.com reports that In a ruling, Justice Binta Nyako stated that the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the first and second defendants, Kelvin Ezeigbe and Frank Azuekor.
The case was proven beyond reasonable doubt
According to Justice Nyako, the sentence will begin to serve them on the day of their arrest.
However, the judge cleared the third and fourth defendants, Michael Omonigho and Momoh Haruna, of the terrorism charge’s charges against them.
She claimed that even though some of the charges against Ezeigbe and Azuekor had sentences that might have included the death penalty, life in prison, or at least 10 years in prison, she had discovered that the defendants had expressed regret for their criminal behaviour.
Additionally, she claimed to have discovered that they had been detained for almost 10 years as of the day of their capture.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Haruna was not present in court; however, Omonigho, who was reportedly the chief priest, was.
The top priest said, “I have repented, my lord,” in response to Nyako’s caution to Omonigho to exercise caution as people worship in his shrine in the open court.
Haruna was cleared of charges
Even though Haruna was cleared of the charges against him, the judge ordered that he be brought to court to answer for his fault in escaping from legal custody.
The prosecutor’s counsel, Chioma Onuegbu, and the defence attorney, Bala Dakum, both received praise from the judge for their diligent work during the trial.
According to NAN, the defendants, Kelvin Ezeigbe, Frank Azuekor, Michael Omonigho, and Momoh Haruna, were initially charged with 13 counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, and acts of terrorism before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of an FHC on June 9, 2014.
Haruna was reported missing after the terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Centre on July 5, 2022, when the three defendants were in court.
Others were charged with terrorist act
They were charged with engaging in terrorist acts in violation of Sections 1, 8, and 10 of the 2011 Terrorism Prevention Act.
On August 23, 2013, they were accused of abducting Mr Ozekhome at Iruekpen as he was en route to Iviukwe in Agenebode, Edo.
Before being released, Ozekhome was held captive for almost three weeks. His release was purportedly contingent upon the payment of a N28 million ransom.
Additionally, they were charged with killing five police officers and two jail guards in addition to kidnapping the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof.
there were 5 reportedly dead police officers
Hope Eghagha, Athanasius Ugbme, and his companion, Emmanuel Maka Omorogbe.
Eghagha was accused of being forced to pay N7 million, Ugbome N20 million, and Omorogbe N3.5 million by the defendants.
Paul Ajaka, Sunday Ewanshiha, Michael Akpada, Bakary Ekong, and Innocent Odoh were the five reported dead police officers.
They allegedly also murdered prison guards Lawrence Edora and Oyibo Okoye and stole their service firearms. The bail request made on behalf of the four suspects by their attorney, Bala Dakum, was rejected.
Punch reports that Omonigho and Haruna were detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, and Ezeigbe and Azuekor were detained at the Department of State Service facility.