Court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping in Rivers

Tamarauemi Ebimini

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday sentenced to death three men on charges of kidnapping.

Although four suspects were arraigned in court for the kidnap of late Chief Abbot Ogbobula in June 2017, only three were convicted.

The fourth suspect was discharged and acquitted.

The three men identified as Boma Thompson, Emelike Mathias, and Daniel Thankgod, were convicted on four charges of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and murder of late Chief Abbot Ogbobula.

In June 2017, late Chief Ogbobula was kidnapped in Ahoada and taken to Manikin Bush in Degema LGA where he was held hostage and eventually died.

He was buried in a shallow grave in the said bush but his body was later exhumed in the course of a police investigation of the case.

In respect of count one (conspiracy to kidnap), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with no option of fine.

For count two ((kidnapping of Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.

In count three (conspiracy to murder Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula) the 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants were convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with no option of fine.

While for count four (murder of Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st,2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging or by lethal injection.