Expdonaloaded News; 2 men bag 31 years jail for kidnapping a friend

Two middle-age men have been sentenced to 31 years imprisonment for kidnapping a mariner, Omosebi Oluwafemi.
The two convicts; Sunday Akala, 35 and Monsuru Odutan, 38, were jailed yesterday by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja.

The convicted men, alongside one Tunde Fayomi, 32, the second defendant, who died during trial, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery, armed robbery and kidnapping of Oluwafemi.
Akala, a masters degree holder, was said to have arranged with Odutan and others to kidnap his friend (Oluwafemi) because he was in need of money to pay his house rent and the victim was not willing to assist.
One of the charges read: “Sunday Akala (M), Tunde Fayomi (M), Monsuru Odutan (M) and others now at large on March 30, 2011 around 2200hrs at Abule Egba, in the Ikeja judicial division, while armed with a dangerous weapon to wit: a jack knife presented in form of a pistol, robbed Omosebi Oluwafemi Adewumi of N1.3million, a wristwatch valued at N6,500, another wristwatch valued at N2,000, a Blackberry Storm 2 mobile phone valued at N100,000, black Italian trouser belt valued at N7,000 and Nokia 3 Sim mobile phone valued at N10,000.”post by expdonaloaded.blogspot.com..According to the principal state counsel, Hafeez Owokoniran, the offence contradicted Section 402 (2) (a) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C.17 Vol 2 Laws of Lagos State 2003.
Delivering judgment, Justice Okunnu held that ‎the statement of Akala and Odutan were not obtained under duress, and the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt.
She also held that the prosecution was unable to prove whether the offensive weapon used by the convicts was a gun, noting that by the evidence, there was robbery and not armed robbery.
“I have considered carefully the facts of this case. As I have always said, it is for the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt. Judging by the evidence, I find that there was a robbery where money was collected from PW1 (Oluwafemi). I find PW2 and PW3 as credible evidence. The prosecution has largely succeeded in proving its case. I hereby find them guilty of conspiracy, robbery and kidnapping of Oluwafemi,” the judge stated.
Subsequently, the judge asked the convicts if they had anything to say. While Odutan said he had nothing to say, Akala asked the court to have mercy on him.
After listening to the defence counsel, who urged the court to temper justice with mercy, the judge sentenced the duo to 21 years for conspiracy to commit robbery and 10 years for kidnapping.
“The sentences are to run concurrently,” the court stated.