2 in court for conspiracy, kidnapping

A 28 year-old man, Sunday Samuel and Chinasa Ezeokeafor, 34, yesterday appeared before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for alleged kidnapping of two children.

Samuel, a resident of Lagos and Ezeokeafor of an unknown address in Anambra, were arraigned for conspiracy and kidnapping.

The Prosecutor, DSP Etim Nkankuk, told the court that the crime was committed between March 8 and Dec. 2, 2013 at No. 6, Oladunjoye St., Igando Road, Lagos.

“A family member of one of the children saw Ezeokeafor when she was about to embark on a journey to Anambra with their child.

“The recovery of the child, according to the prosecutor, led to the discovery of the first victim in a community in Anambra.

“Ezeokeafor was arrested by the police alongside Samuel, who kidnapped the children and sold them at N450, 000 each,” he said.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and their counsel, Mr. A. J. Akhator and Mr. O. Boniface, urged the court to grant them bail.

They said the bail applications were pursuant to Section 35 of the 1999 constitution and Section 115 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The counsel said the accused had credible sureties and would not jump bail.

The prosecutor, who did not oppose the application, informed the court that the second accused, Ezeokeafor, was not residing in Lagos.

He also told the court that the second accused had a similar case pending before another court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A. A. Demi-Ajayi, however, said that the offences were bailable and granted them bail in the sum of N1 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.

Demi-Ajayi also directed their sureties to produce evidence of three year’s tax payments to the Lagos state government.

She said one of the sureties should be a blood relation of the accused and adjourned the case until May 7, for mention. (NAN)