A Delta state high court sitting in Sapele has sentenced five persons to ten years imprisonment each over the abduction of a 70-year old female trader, Queen Ogbor, in July 2010.
The convicts, Fidelis Ochuko, Kelvwe Opuoma ,Kelly jonathan,Kevwe Itedjere and Joseph Enakpodia were charged for conspiracy and kidnapping.
Daily Sun reports that the court sentenced them to five years each for count one (conspiracy to commit kidnapping) and another five years each for count two (kidnapping).
Reacting to the judgment, prosecutor for the Delta state ministry of Justice, T E Omenuwoma, informed the court that the accused conspired and kidnapped Ogbor sometime in July, 2010.
Omenuwoma revealed how the trader was kidnapped. He told the court that the hoodlums abducted the victim during a heavy downpour as she was driving into her premises around 7pm, and whisked her away to an unknown destination.
The prosecutor explained further that the suspects were yet to establish contact with the family of the victim for ransom the day after they carried out their operation.
The victim was rescued unhurt by security operatives who traced them to their hide-out while the five kidnappers pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge filed against them.
Kidnapping is not new in Nigeria and is seen as one of the biggest issues the country is facing presently due to high rate of unemployment and corruption.
Earlier this month, members of the Delta state House of Assembly amended the law on kidnapping which it earlier passed this year.
