After about eight years of waiting, justice has finally come for Elder Idongesit Demas Udom, a retired ExxonMobil executive from Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom State, who was kidnapped in 2017, but had his arm chopped off at the point of release, after the kidnappers had collected the negotiated N5million ransom.

Consequently, a High Court sitting in Uyo, the State capital, has convicted and sentenced four of the kidnappers to death by hanging, for the kidnapping of the 62-year-old retired ExxonMobil staff from Idung Nneke, in Ukanafun local government area.

The convicts; Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa LGA, Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43, all from Idung Nneke village, in Ukanafun LGA, were found guilty on all the three counts bordering on “conspiracy, kidnapping, and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable.”

The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Ette, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Three other defendants, who stood trial alongside quartet: Kingsley John Akpan, 32; Etimefiok Ime Ezekiel, 37 and Joseph Sunday Etim, 31, were discharged and acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

LEADERSHIP gathered that in the course of the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including the victim, while the seven defendants testified personally.

The victim, PW1, Elder Idongesit Demas Udom, narrated how the crisis began on December 20, 2016, when the second convict, William ThankGod Sunday, attempted to organise a second “cultist carnival” in their village.

According to Udom, the proprietor of Sure Foundation Polytechnic (SFP), at Ukanafun LGA, the billboard announcing the carnival highlighted activities such as smoking, drinking and eating competitions, prompting the elders to intervene.

A meeting was convened at his residence, being the Administrator of the Royal Family and President of Idung Nneke Development Association (INDA), where it was resolved that the carnival would not be allowed due to its bad influence on youths.

The elders had previously stopped a similar carnival in 2015, which they said led to the initiation of several minors into cult groups.

Following the disagreement, the village reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ukanafun, who deployed officers to prevent the event from holding.

This intervention, the Court heard, angered the second convict, who blamed their victim, Udom, for his failure to intervene in the subsequent village youth leadership election.

He allegedly sent a threat letter to Udom’s brother, the Village Head, warning that he would kill three students from Udom’s polytechnic, if he was “betrayed” again.

Despite the threats, Udom testified that he did not take them seriously, noting that he once helped secure the convict’s release from detention in Isiala Ngwa, where he had been held for robbery.

However, on March 16, 2017, the second convict allegedly convened a meeting with his associates including the third convict, Ubon Monday Ebebe; the 5th defendant, Etimefiok Ime Ezekiel; and a fleeing suspect, Saviour Paul Matthew, where he mobilised kidnappers from Abia State to abduct the victim.

According to testimony, kidnappers from Ukanafun, including the notorious Iso Akpafid, had refused to kidnap Elder Idongesit Udom, due to his popularity and contributions to community development.

It was this meeting, the Court held, that set the stage for the eventual abduction and maiming of the victim after the kidnappers had collected N5m ransom.

Delivering judgement, Justice Gabriel Ette held that: “from the totality of the evidence adduced before me, I hold that the following defendants: Chinatu Iwe Abraham; William ThankGod Sunday; Ubon Monday Ebebe; and Saturday Jonah Udo, are guilty as charged,” stating that the prosecution successfully proved all three counts, leading to the sentences of seven years imprisonment for count one; death by hanging for kidnapping in count 2, and wounding with intent to maim in count 3, which carried three years imprisonment. (LEADERSHIP)

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