72 year old social critic arraigned in kidnapp of High Court Judge

BY BANABAS ATTAH (Per Second News), ABUJA

Nigeria police command in Kogi state have charged a 72-year-old man, Ahmed Adoke and John Sule, 41, Mechanic, for allegedly kidnapping High Court Judge, Justice Samuel Obayomi.

The accused were arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court II  Wednesday, along with others now on the run,  to have criminally conspired and armed themselves with offensive weapons to commit the crime.

According to the Police First Information Report (FIR) the accused, wielding AK-47 rifles and locally made pistols disguised themselves and blocked  the judge on Ebogogo road, close to the court premises and “forcefully stopped his car and dragged him away.”

The FIR read by the Prosecuting Police Officer, Inspector C.S. Ayabatu said that the hoodlums instantly shot at the judge’s police orderly, Cpl Usman Musa who died on the spot.

They were also accused  to have “Violently seized" Justice Obayomi to an unknown destination only to release him after collecting an undisclosed sum of money as ransom.

The FIR said that the accused were arrested on June 6, by a team of Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) from Abuja and brought to Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Lokoja.

Adoke and Sule, all of Okene, were charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and kidnapping contrary to sections 97(1) and 221 of the Penal Code Law and Part 1 section 3(a)(i)(ii) of the state Kidnapping, Thuggery and Other Related Offences Prohibition Law 2010.

Adoke’s counsel, Muazu Abbas.  applied for bail of the accused and placed his application on section 36(5) of the Constitution, asking the court to use  its wisdom in favour of his client as he pleaded  of innocence of the case.

The prosecuting police officer,  opposed the application on the ground that the offences  were not ordinarily bailable ones

He said that the matter was still under investigation adding that releasing the accused persons on bail at this stage would affect police investigation aside the fact that they could jump bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Alhassan Husaini said the offences were grave given the attendant consequences of life imprisonment without an option of fine upon conviction in line with the state law on kidnapping.

“I therefore hasten to refuse this application in the light of the rampant and prevalent cases of kidnapping within the state which has been on a increasing surge and in monumental proportion.

“In consequence, I hereby order that the two accused persons be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe”, he said and adjourned the case to July 28, for mention.

It would be recalled that  Justice Samuel Obayomi, the Resident High Court Judge of Ebogogo in Adavi Local Government was kidnapped on Monday, May 25, by a three-member gang all dressed in black.

He was released after 34 days by the kidnappers following intensive hunt by the police.