An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, has sentenced an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Okubo Aboye, to life imprisonment for buying stolen vehicle from kidnappers in the state.
Aboye was sentenced to life imprisonment alongside his mechanic, Niyi Ibrahim Afolabi, on Monday.
The court also sentenced seven others: Solomon Ayodele Obamoyegun (39), Femi Omiawe (40), Damilola Obamoyegun (20), Bose Sade Ajayi (30), George Lucky (35), Chukwuma Nnamani (22) and Sunday Ogunleye (45) to five years imprisonment each without an option of fine for kidnapping.
In their testimony, the investigating police officers said the stolen car was tracked to the compound of ACP Okubo, whom on interrogation confessed that he bought the vehicle from his mechanic who received it from the kidnappers.
The prosecutor, Felix Awoniyi, revealed that “the offence runs contrary to sections 346(2), 1(2)a, and Section 5 of the Criminal Code Cap C16 laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Robbery and Firearms Special Provisions Act, Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The charge indicated that the offence was committed between 9th and 19th of May, 2005 at GRA, Ado-Ekiti, when the 1st to 7th accused, armed with guns to kidnap one Moses Ajogri, 40, robbed him of his Toyota Hilux van with registration number — APP 509 BK.
In his judgement, Justice John Adeyeye found the Assistant Commissioner of Police guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment accordingly.
“I found you guilty of receiving stolen vehicle. All evidence pointed to the fact that you were aware that the car was stolen. You are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment for the offence.
“Kidnapping people for ransom is very rampant in not only the state but in Nigeria as a whole. The court will be failing in its duty to protect the members of the society if adequate punishment is not given to the accused persons,” he said.