Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Ogbia Town, headquarters of Ogbia Local Government Area of the state has sentenced four men who kidnapped a former Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment in the State, Mr Federal Otokito to 40years in-prisonment each.
Upon his kidnap in 2022, The Tide learnt the former Commissioner was taken to a forest in the Igbomotoru Community in the Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area of the state and demanded ransom payment.
Presided over by Justice S. W. Amaduobogha, the court while delivering judgment in the suit with registration number OHC/4c/2022, declared that Kingsley Obhesi 24yrs, Joshua Abi 32yrs, Gift Damene 38yrs, and Powell Inegite 36yrs are guilty as charged of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of fire Arms.
The convicted persons were arrested by operatives of the Operation Puff Adder led by SP Chris Nwaogbo and believed to be boys working with a prominent ex-militant leader from Southern-Ijaw Local Government area of the State.
The Police Prosecuting Counsel, Stella Jerry-Friday Esq, while briefing the court, stated that the convicts, heavily armed with guns and sundry amunitions, took hostage of Mr. Federal Opaminola Otokito on the 20th day of January, 2022 at Otuokpoti Community, Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, and unlawfully took him away against his will to Igbomotoru bush in the Southern Ijaw Area of the state with the intent to demand ransom or any other unlawful consideration and thereby committed an offence punishable under the laws of Nigeria.
Justice S.W. Amaduobogha, after hearing from the Police prosecution counsel and the defence counsels, declared that the investigative and prosecution team have done due diligence and proved beyond reasonable doubt the case of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of fire-arms against the convicts.
Meanwhile, a cross-section of members of the Otuokpoti Community, home town of the former Commissioner, have hailed the state Police Command for their diligent investigation and prosecution.
It would be recalled that Otokito was abducted in 2022 while still serving as a member of the State Executive Council when armed gunmen invaded his neighbourhood, shooting randomly into the air to frighten the locals.
Similarly, the Brass Judicial Divisional State High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the state capital has also sentenced two persins to five years in jail for conspiracy, unlawful possession of fire-arms and armed robbery.
The Tide gathered that the convicted persons, Believe Leisure (m) 36yrs, and Jacob Doukumo (m) 42 years, in the suit with registration number BYHC/BHC/CR/1/2023, were arrested by the men of the Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command on the 24th of December, 2022 along Sangana creek in Brass Local Government Area of the State.
According to the Police Counsel, Stella Jerry-Friday Esq, the convicts were arrested on the charge of conspiracy to commit felony and armed robbery which is an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and firearms (special provision) Act.CAP R11, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
He said the convicts, Believe Leisure, Jacob Doukumo and three others at large on the 24th day of December, 2022 at about 600hours at Sangana, Akassa in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State, while armed with a one single barrel gun and two machetes, attacked one Johnbull Newyear and one Jackson (surname), yet known, and robbed them of 30 horsepower Suzuki outboard engine valued at N600,000 only.
The prosecution counsel also informed the court that after diligent investigation by the operatives of the Operation Puff Adder led by SP Chris Nwaogbo, the duo were arrested and later remanded in custody.
According to him while Jacob Doukumo was present in court for sentencing, Believe Leisure died in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Okaka, Yenagoa while awaiting trial.
The Presiding Judge, Justice T.Y Abasi, found the accused guilty on the three count charges and sentenced them to five years imprisonment each.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa