Court convicts 19-yr-old artiste for kidnapping 7-yr-old

AN Asaba High Court has convicted Chijoke Okeke for kidnapping 7-year-old Sobechuwu Emmanuel Anyamene, from a place of worship and demanding N7million as ransom. The court, presided over by Justice Emifoniye Cletus, however, reserved sentence on the convicted kidnapper for a later date, adding that he was found guilty on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: kidnapping, contrary to section 516 of criminal code cap C.21 Vol.1 laws of Delta State 2006, kidnap and demanding with menace, the sum of N7million as ransom, for the release of Sobechukwu, a primary 3 pupil. Sobechukwu, who was in the court, dressed in his school uniform, just as he was kidnapped on December 18, 2011, at St. John’s Anglican Church, Ogidi, Anambra State, was brought to power- line, Oko, close to the Niger Bridge Head, where he was kept and later rescued, as his abductors were arrested by men of the Delta State command of the State Security Service, in collaboration with vigilance group of the area. Chijioke Okeke, who told the court that he was a musician, made a dramatic turn by changing his plea to that of ‘guilty’, when cross examination of Sobechukwu, who was in the witness box to testify, having discovered the overwhelming evidence by prosecution against him. The first accused person, Ifeanyi Johnson who was identified as the person who made the ransom denied any involvement in the kidnap and opted to continue the matter to prove his innocence.