Rivers Court Jails Three Over Child Theft

A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted one Goodnews Thompson and Kperebong Emmason to 24 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing and trafficking two years and four months’ old Etim Gospel George.
The court sentenced the two on three-count charges bothering on child stealing, conspiracy and trafficking of Etim Gospel George on October 18, 2018, at Kom-Kom village in Oyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State.
He is yet to be seen till date.
Delivering her judgement, last Monday, Chief Magistrate Felicitas Amanze, found Goodnews Thompson, the 1st Defendant; and Sunday Jonah, 2nd Defendant who was deceased while in prison as well as Kperebong Emmason, 3rd Defendant, guilty for stealing and selling little Etim George at the sum of N350,000.00.
The court found them guilty under Section 39 of the Child Rights Act, for stealing an only son of one Mary Gospel George, a widow, who lost her husband sometime last year in a pipeline fire outbreak at Kom-Kom.
Amanze sentenced the convicts to seven years’ imprisonment on count 1, seven years on count 2, and 10 years on count 3, making a total of 24 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, which will run consecutively.
Speaking to newsmen, Counsel representing FIDA, Kemi Ogunaike commended the court for ensuring that justice was served in the matter.

By: Akujobi Amadi