Crime
Chief Olu Falae’s Abductors Sentenced to life imprisonment for Kidnapping, Armed Robbery
By Oluniyi Akintunde, Akure
The Ondo State High Court in Akure has sentenced the abductors of the Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae to life imprisonment for kidnapping and armed robbery.
It would be recalled that Chief Falae was kidnapped by some fulani herdsmen on his 77th Birthday on September 21, 2015 at his Ilado farm in Akure North Local Government Area of the state, Akure, and released after paying N5million ransom four days after his abduction.
The convicts are: Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibrahim, Masahudu Muhammed, Idris Lawal with two others.
The charge reads: “That you, Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed, Idris Lawal and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did give information for the purpose of kidnapping and abducting Chief Samuel Oluyemi Falae.
“Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did aid the kidnapping and abduction of Chief Samuel Oluyemi Falae.
“Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did Kidnapped Chief Oluyemi Falae, the Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and did not release him until N5,000,000 ransom was paid.
“Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did conspire to commit a felony to wit armed robbery.
“Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did rob Chief Olu Falae of N15, 000 and his handset while armed with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons”.
The offence, according to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs. Adeyemi Kuti from Ondo state Ministry of Justice is contrary to Section 2 of Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 5(1)(a) of the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Laws, Section3(11)(b) of the Anti-Kidnapping and Abduction Law, Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms(Special Provision) Act,Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act,Cap R11, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
However, when the charge sheet was read to the convicts in court on the first date of their arraignment, they all pleaded not guilty to the five counts charge leveled against them.
When the case came up yesterday for judgement after several adjournment since 2015, the Presiding Judge, Justice Williams Olamide said he was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts committed the crime with the evidence tendered before him.
Justice Olamide also said that during the hearing of the matter, the victim, Chief Olu Falae was able to identified three of the convicts as those who kidnapped him and threatened to killed him if he failed to pay the ramson when he was in their den captivity.
He thereafter sentenced seven of them to life imprisonment.
After the court proceeding, the Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Adeyemi Kuti hailed the judgment, saying that justice has been given to the victim as far as the case is concerned.
But, counsel to the seven convicts, Mr Abdulrahman Yusuf from the Legal Aid Council said he would need to obtain the judgment, study it, and knew whether to Appeal the judgment or not.
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