An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced three men to a combined 97 years in prison without the option of a fine after convicting them of kidnapping, armed robbery and unlawful possession of offensive weapons.
The convicts — Augustine Agbogbo, Adeniyi Olamilekan and Ademoh Gabriel — received prison terms of 40 years, 25 years and 32 years, respectively.
The court, however, acquitted three other defendants — Ogungbemi Gbenga, Monday Rakiya and Oseni Mutairu — citing the prosecution’s failure to prove charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery and unlawful possession of dangerous weapons beyond a reasonable doubt.
The six defendants were arraigned on Aug. 11, 2023, before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on a six-count charge.
According to the charge, the defendants conspired on June 6, 2022, in Ayede, Ekiti, to rob Ajibade Adeleke of 15,000 naira ($—). It also stated that on Dec. 20, 2022, in Itapaji, they robbed retired Lt. Cmdr. Victoria Eisape of 40,000 naira and kidnapped her. Prosecutors said the defendants, armed with guns and cutlasses, also kidnapped Adeleke during the operations.
They were further accused of possessing three long-barreled guns, 33 live cartridges and 56 expended cartridges without a license on April 6, 2023, in Iyemero, Ekiti.
During testimony, Eisape told the court she and Adeleke were abducted along the Itapaji–Iyemero road and held while their captors demanded a ransom of 70 million naira. She said she was released after 8 million naira was paid and later reported the incident to police.
Prosecutor Albert Adeyemi called seven witnesses and presented evidence including the defendants’ statements, a search warrant, firearms and ammunition. Defense lawyers Chris Omokhafe and Olakanmi Falade did not call any witnesses.
In his ruling, Familoni dismissed the defendants’ retraction of their confessional statements as an afterthought. He found Agbogbo, Olamilekan and Gabriel guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and unlawful possession of dangerous weapons.
The judge ordered that their sentences run concurrently and take effect from the date of their arrest and remand.
