A High Court sitting in Abakaliki judicial division in Ebonyi state convicted and sentenced the two young men after finding them guilty of kidnap of the Minor on 23rd day of August 2020.
In the charge marked HAB/ 50c/2021 Kelechi a landlord’s son at Ndufu Amuzu community Ezza South LGA of the state was convicted for kidnapping their tenant’s son Benjamin two years old lured out of their apartment in the guise to buy biscuits for him but did not bring him back to the parents till date.
During the prosection , the court found out that the second Defendant took the missing two years old Benjamin to someone known as OG at Nkalagu community in Ishielu LGA of the state where he sold him at the rate of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00).
Delivering judgement, having considered all the evidences , confessional statements and eyewitness accounts by Benjamin ‘s sisters the trial judge Justice Chinyere Ken-Ezeh found Kelechi and Kingsley guilty of kidnapping as charged and sentenced them to death by hanging.
Speaking with the Prosecuting Counsel Deputy Director Ministry of Justice Ijeoma Mike-Ajanwachukwu shortly after the judgement, she appreciated the trial judge for the judgement and warned parents to be more alive to their parental responsibilities towards their children and wards.
According to her, “On the 23rd day of August 2020 at Ndufu Amuzu community in Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi state,the First Defendant went to their tenant ‘s house carried his children a female 4 years and Benjamin male 2 years to buy biscuits for them,after buying the biscuits, Benjamin refused to go with his sister back to their apartment. The girl went to inform her elder sister to bring Benjamin by herself, but on getting to their Landlord’s apartment,the first Defendant and little Benjamin were no where to be found.
“On return from the day’s activities, father of the missing Benjamin reported the matter to Onueke Police division , which led to arrest of the Landlord and his son. While in custody at Onueke the first Defendant (landlord’s son) confessed that he handed the said Benjamin to the second Defendant Kingsley who was waiting on a standby bike.
” In January 2021 the second Defendant was also arrested and he admitted that the first Defendant handed the missing Benjamin over to him,which he took to Nkalagu community in Ishielu LGA of the state the same day and sold him to someone he identified as OG at five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00). But he was paid cash of only one hundred and fifty thousand naira (N150,000.00) with a promise to get the balance subsequently before his arrest by the police.
“Following all the confessional statements by the Defendants ,they were charged to court , convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Efforts to recover the missing Benjamin is still not successful till date,” the Prosecutor narrated.