TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced three persons, Kingsley Worlu Chuku, Uchendu Macpherson Elindam and Obinna Chuku to death over the kidnap and death of one Despring Braide and subsequent kidnap of Dr Alexander Akani, a consultant with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Also, the court has sentenced to life imprisonment the three convicts (Kingsley, Uchendu and Obinna) and two others, Godknows Wokem and Promise Jim, who were accused of conspiracy in the kidnap of Dr Akani.
It would be recalled that following a thorough investigation on the kidnap of Dr Akani after he regained freedom from his abductors in June, 2017, the Department of Security Service, Rivers State, arrested nine suspects in connection to the crime and charged them to court on September 20, 2017.
Daily Sun gathered that Akani was kidnapped at his residence in Aluu, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and taken to a remote community in Emohua, where he was detained by the convicts until  a ransom  of N1.6 million was paid by his family for his partial freedom.
Confessional statement of the convicts, revealed that the first defendant (Godknows Wokem), nephew to Akani, gave the other convicts link to abduct the victim.
The convicts during cross-examination revealed that Wokem told them that his uncle (Akani) had been kidnapped and he freed himself with N4 million, encouraging that the operation would be fruitful if they succeed.
But, luck ran out of them after the DSS commenced a thorough investigation on the crime; phone calls were traced, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
On arraignment in court, the matter was registered in FHC/PH/148c/17 before Justice James Kolawole Omtosho.
Delivering  judgement on the matter yesterday, which lasted for more than three years, Justice Omtosho discharged four of the accused persons including the only female among them.
The discharged were Henry Elebiga, Destiny Chidiebere Wosu, Stanley Ibuchi Wosu, Elizabeth Chuku.
Justice Omtosho said they were discharged on point of law, following that they were mistakenly linked to the crime.
For the convicts, he said: “After carefully considered the evidence, and having considered the provident of kidnapping in the country and realised that there must be example to set to deter others from commiting such crime, the first, second, third, fourth and fifth convicts are sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with no option of fine in count one”.
In count two, the judge sentenced the five convicts to life imprisonment and 10 years imprisonment in count three, four and five. While first, second and third convicts got death sentence in count six.
 
 
To the discharged, Justice Omtosho advised them on good conduct, saying: “You may not be fortunate again, go and give thanksgiving to God for another opportunity and turn a new leaf”.
 
 
He commended the prosecuting counsel, C. S. Eze and the DSS in Rivers for a good investigative job done in the case, stressing that “they did a technical investigation”.
Mr O. Barango, who represented the accused had pleaded for leniency in the judgement.