Police Corporal, Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, and a bus conductor, Isaac Eddy Ndeesor are to die by hanging for the kidnap of Elder Akara Johnson Mendie, Vice Principal of Community Secondary School, Nkek, Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo sentenced the convicts to death for conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms.

It was gathered that four armed men driving in a Toyota Camry blocked the vehicle of Mendie on July 5, 2015, at about 3:30 pm, when he returned from church with his wife and other family members along Urua Akpan Udosen/Ikot Unah Road in Ukanafun.

The armed men forcefully abducted the victim and sped off to an unknown destination, after seizing the handbag of his wife containing important documents, including a will, a Power of Attorney, reading glasses and a GSM phone.

The victim told the court he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location and later a ransom of N50 million was demanded from his family. whom his captors threatened to kill.

It was learned that the family eventually paid a ransom of N200,000 on July 10, 2015 through the victim’s younger sister before the victim was released and dropped off in Bori, Rivers State, from where he reported to the Bori Police Station.

It was the Divisional Police Officers of the Police station that arranged his transportation back to his community in Ukanafun.

In his confessional statement, 41 year-old Police Corporal, Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, attached to Mopol 57, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, admitted that he participated in the kidnap.

He told the Police that on the day of the incident, he was contacted by one Felix (surname unknown), whom he had known from Mopol 56 in Ogoni.

According to Friday, Felix allegedly introduced another individual known as “Different Man,” who claimed that an unnamed “honourable” wanted the victim kidnapped over allegations that the victim had killed his friend.

The corporal admitted that he drove his Toyota Camry and blocked the victim’s vehicle to enable Felix and Isaac forcefully move the victim into his car.

He explained that when the Camry developed a fault, he boarded a public transport to Uyo, retrieved his Volkswagen Golf and returned to continue the operation, transporting the victim to a bush in Ogoni, Rivers State.

He stated that the weapon used in the operation was not an official Police firearm and that his accomplices were not Police officers.

During a search in his house, authorities recovered one locally made revolver pistol, three rounds of 9mm live ammunition, five rounds of AK-47 ammunition, one empty AK-47 magazine, one wrap of Indian hemp, CCTV equipment, multiple GSM phones, ATM cards, SIM packs and car accessories.

In his confessional statement, the bus conductor, Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, said they waited near the victim’s residence in Ukanafun after being told the victim would return from church.

Ndeesor admitted that he stole the victim’s phone and used it, which led to his arrest after security agencies tracked the device.

In his judgment, Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel frowned at the protracted trial, saying the case filed in 2016 was only concluded in 2026, resulting in a delay of 10 years, noting that it was unacceptable.

The judge dismissed the first defendant’s claims of a frame-up, stating that his explanations were inconsistent and did not affect the substance of the charges.

“How can a Police officer lead a gang of kidnappers to abduct a poor victim returning from church with his wife and family?” the judge queried.

Justice Daniel held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendants on conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

The judge sentenced them to five years imprisonment each for conspiracy, seven years imprisonment each for unlawful possession of firearms, and death by hanging, saying, “you shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on you”. (Daily Trust)

Update news