Crime
Contradictory Evidences: Kogi High Court discharges, acquits 2 kidnap suspects
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has discharged and acquitted two kidnap and robbery suspects, Harrison Orubabe and Justice Yakubu, over contradictory evidence provided by the prosecution.
Justice I.A. Jamil of the State High Court who delivered the judgment in the criminal trial of the accused on Wednesday in Lokoja said the prosecution could not discharge the onus of proof that the accused committed the alleged offences.
He rather blamed the prosecution counsels led by P.B. Daudu Esq. for creating doubts in the mind of the court hence the discharge and acquittal of the suspects.
The prosecution counsels had arraigned Orubabe and Yakubu on Jan 19, before Justice Jamil on three count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and robbery contrary to sections 97(1), 48(a)(b) and 298(a) of Kogi Penal Code Law 2019 respectively.
The prosecution had presented confessional statements purportedly made by the accused upon which further investigation revealed that the suspects kidnapped one Prosper Obanla, on February. 28, 2022 at Obajana in Kogi and took him to Warri in Delta State.
It further claimed that the suspects also asked for a ransom of N1000,000 from the victim’s father, Chief Olusegun Obanla threatening that his failure to pay would only make them to hill his son.
During cross examinations of the victim by the defence Counsels, Barrister Martin Atojoko and Philip Idiok, the victim asserted that he had never been to Warri as claimed by the prosecution.
Atojoko also revealed another contradiction, where the purported confessional statements of the two accused clearly showed that the alleged victim sought the assistance of the accused to staged his own kidnap to get some money from his rich father to buy a “good phone.”
Atojoko said that the Police had claimed that in his confessional statements, Yakubu claimed that he and the victim went to Itape Train Station in Kogi, where he (Victim) boarded a train to Warri, Delta adding that the victim gave him N1,000 to return to Obajana.
The planned kidnap, he said, indeed paid off as they got N200,000 ransom paid by the supposed kidnap victims (Prosper’s) father, Chief Olusegun Obanla.
In his judgement, Justice Jamil held that there was a conflict or contradiction of evidence in relation to the consent or otherwise of the supposed victim in relation to the kidnap.
“The absence and consent of the victim is a material ingredients in proving an offence of kidnap, when properly defined.
“This court is in serious doubt as to whether PW3 (victim) was taken away into confinement by the accused persons without his consent or with his consent.
“Where a court is in doubt of a material fact necessary to establish a commission of a crime by the defendant, the court can’t convict or same.
“Similarly, where PW3 (victim) refused to agree to have gone to Warri just as the IPO PW2) in his witness statement said Investigations revealed that the two defendants took him to Warri, it’s difficult for this court to accept one version of the evidences.
“Again, the victim himself said that it wasn’t a kidnapping case as it was staged in order for him to get some money from his father. These set of evidences came from the prosecution.
“You, the prosecution, has put this court in doubt of what you are claiming such that I can’t accept one version and refuse the other.
“This is so because the prosecution could not prove what actually happened on Feb. 28, 2022 beyond reasonable doubt.
“On the whole, the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt any or all of the count charges labeled against the two suspects.
“Consequently, the two defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted,” the judge declared. (Ends)
***CP restates commitment to safety of lives, property in Kogi
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
The Nigeria Police, Kogi State Command has confirmed the killing of two suspected kidnappers during a gun duel in Ankumi forest, near Obajana in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state.
A statement from SP William Ovye Aya, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on Tuesday in Lokoja said that the two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded in an exchange of fire with the Police and died as they were being taken to the hospital.
Aya said the operation which was in continuation of the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crime in Kogi State also led to the recovery of one AK 47 Rifle with two magazines and two live Ammunition.
He explained that the operation was consequent upon a tip off received on Monday, May 27 at about 11:30hrs, that some armed hoodlums numbering about three were sighted inside Ankumi forest.
“Immediately the Divisional Police Officer of Obajana Division, CSP Oguche Richard, mobilized his patrol team in collaboration with the Fulani Vigilantes and moved to the area at about 14:30hrs”, he said.
According to the PPRO, on sighting the team, the hoodlums opened fire on them, attracting corresponding response from the team resulting in a gun duel that lasted a while.
Aya said, “Due to the superior firepower of the Police team, two of the hoodlums were fatally wounded while the other escaped with bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from the scene include, one AK 47 rifle with two magazines and two rounds of live Ammunition. Effort is on going to trail and apprehend the fleeing suspect.”
The Command’s Spokesman further told newsmen that the suspects were confirmed dead in a hospital at Obajana and their bodies were brought to the command headquarters in Lokoja.
He said that the bodies were deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital morgue in Lokoja.
Aya further said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Bethrand C. Onuoha, commended the officers for their unwavering commitment and dedication in sustaining the tempo in the ongoing onslaught against crime and criminality.
The Commissioner, he said, also assured Kogi people that the Police “is ever determined to sustain the tempo, in synergy with other Security Agencies, in ensuring the safety of lives and property in the state.” (Ends)
An unspecified number of workers of Dangote Cement Company Plc, Okpella, Etsako West local government of Edo state have been abducted after unknown gunmen Wayland the staff bus
The unfortunate incident was said to have happened on Monday.
The workers were in a staff bus conveying them back to Okpella town after the close of work when they were intercepted and abducted by the gunmen.
An eyewitness confirmed to this online newspaper that the incident happened after the gunmen laid ambush for the workers after emerging from the bush and forcing the bus to a halt at gunpoint before taking their victims into the bush.
“They were in a Coaster bus coming to Okpella after work when they were kidnapped by gunmen. But, we don’t know the numbers of the workers that have been kidnapped,” the source added.
The alleged rape of a female student of the Ajayi Crowther University by two security guards is not being treated with kids gloves as the authorities of the institution have commenced investigations
This was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Olufemi John Atoyebi.
Atoyebi said, “Management of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo received with shock a report of an alleged rape of one of our female students last night, Thursday May 9, 2024 by two members of our vigilance group.
“The Management promptly handed over to the police, the two people alleged to have committed the crime while the university has set up its own internal panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation.
“The Management wishes to assure all stakeholders that ACU will not tolerate any act of misconduct capable of tarnishing its enviable image.
“Raising Godly intellectuals is our primary goal in ACU and we will not allow any act of misconduct capable of diverting our attention from our goal.
“Heavy penalty awaits anyone who is found culpable after our thorough investigation.
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