WILFUL SUMMARY DISMISSAL OF A CLEAR CUT CASE OF KIDNAPPING IN A CALCULATED ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE THE COMMAND’S EFFORTS AT TACKLING INCIDENTS OF KIDNAPPING:
On 7/3/2014; a case of kidnapping of one Grace Obi ‘f’ aged 33yrs was reported at Area Commander’s office, Warri. Investigation into the case revealed that the kidnapped victim – Grace Obi actually masterminded her kidnap in a bid to extort money from her husband. This assertion is re-enforced by the fact that out of the N1.5m paid as ransom for the release of the victim who spent 3 days in the custody of the phantom kidnapping gang – N1.2m was recovered from the victim herself, while N300,000.00 was allegedly used to settle the gang for their role.
The kidnapped victim and a member of the gang were arrested who made confessional statements, giving a graphic narration of the incident.
After several overtures made by some highly placed citizens persuading the Command to compromise the case; the Command refused to bulge mainly on the ground that we deemed it necessary to send a clear message across on the Command’s uncompromising stance on cases of kidnapping. Hence on 21/3/2014, the 2 suspects were arraigned in Magistrate Court II Otor-Odu Warri, presided over by Mrs Vivian Duku Tadafe – Senior Magistrate Grade I – being the Court of 1st instance in a 3 count charge of Conspiracy and Kidnapping under the enabling provisions of the State Anti-Kidnapping Law 2012.
In clear violation of the extant law under which the suspects were charged which bequeaths exclusive jurisdiction on the High Court; the trial Magistrate summarily discharged and acquitted the accused persons, thus attempting to dampen the morale of the personnel of the Command in our ongoing fight against incidents of kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes in the State.
CP IKECHUKWU ADUBA NPM, PSC (+)
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
DELTA STATE COMMAND
ASABA
