Names of 4 Kidnappers Sentenced to Death Has Been Released, Location Announced

• Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa sentenced four convicts to death by hanging for conspiracy and kidnapping
• The convicts, led by Manager Etonzor, were found guilty of abducting the secretary of a dredging company and demanding a ransom for her release
• Justice Patience Diri ruled that the convicts' actions warranted the death penalty under Bayelsa State Law

The Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced four convicts to death by hanging over alleged conspiracy and kidnapping.

The convicts are Manager Etonzor, Daniel Derietiedei, Inimotimi Rufus, and Tari Firstman. On December 29, the presiding Judge, Justice Patience Diri, in the suit numbered YHC/43c/2021, found the four persons guilty of the allegations under Section 2 (1) of the Bayelsa State Law 2013.

Details of the Incident

According to the police prosecution counsel, the four individuals led by Etonzor had stormed the working site of a dredging company located at Ayama Ijaw in the Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State to abduct the owner of the company.

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The judgement read:

“While their attempt to abduct the owner of the dredging company failed, they started shooting sporadically and scared away most of the workers. But the 28-year-old secretary of the company, who was hiding in the office, was forcefully taken at gunpoint.”

Kidnapping and Ransom

The secretary was forced to part with N400,000 from the company’s safe and was taken away to a boat at the waterside.

She was transported to the kidnappers’ hideout, where a ransom of N6.5 million was paid for her release.

After one month and three days, she was released, and the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command commenced a diligent investigation, which led to the arrest of the kidnappers' leader, Etonza Manager, and subsequently, the other members of the gang.

Court Proceedings and Verdict

Upon arraignment in court, the convicted kidnappers accused the investigation officers of “forceful obtainment” of confession and claimed “intimidation.”

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However, the court, after listening to arguments by both counsel, admitted their various statements, witnesses’ statements, and confessions as evidence.

Justice Diri, in her ruling, found the four accused persons guilty of the two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping and sentenced them to death by hanging.

Police rescue kidnapped hostages

Legit.ng reported that police operatives attached to the Imo State Command successfully rescued four kidnapped hostages in Umuokanne, Ohaji Local Government Area on Saturday, January 4, 2025.

Acting on a distress call, the operatives stormed the kidnappers' hideout, engaging in a fierce gun duel.

ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer in a statement shared via X.

Source: Legit.ng