Three Policemen and four others, have been sentenced to death by the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday over kidnapping in the state. The kidnappers identified as Cpl Emmanuel Charlie, Fidelis Emmanson Jeremiah, Cpl Bassey Sunday (377812), PC Mfon Bassey (478463), Ndu Okon Johnny, Unyime Edem Etukakpan, and Itohowo Godwin Akpakwa, were sentenced to death alongside the woman (Ekaette Edet Moses) they paid N50,000 to cook for the victim – Deaconess Ime Anietie Ekanem, while the ransom negotiation was on.The three police and fours others were sentenced to death over kidnapping by the court, which acted according to the state instituted Suit No HU/13c/2012 against 8 members of the gang in 2012.
The convicts who were found guilty of three-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, kidnapping, aiding and sponsoring kidnapping, reportedly dragged out their victim out of the Toyota Sienna car driven by the husband, in front of the family house at about 6.30 PM and whisked her away in a Volvo Wagon Car to Afaha Udoeyop in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA where she was kept, under armed guards, in an isolated building pending agreement and payment of Ransom.
However after the anti-kidnapping unit of the state CID got involved as telephone negotiations between the kidnappers and the victim’s husband brought down the initial demand from more than twenty million naira (N20m) to about N1.8 million to be paid on 2 installments, they were shocked to discover that the first 2 persons who approached the Afaha Ibesikpo Market square, venue for the ransom delivery were their colleagues at the state CID.