Ondo: Three to die by hanging for kidnapping Reverend Sisters, driver

Three persons have been sentenced to death by hanging in Ondo State for their involvement in the kidnap of two Reverend Sisters and a driver.

The convicts, Reuben Akinbehinje, John Imoleayo Uche, and Seun Iseoluwa Akintan were found guilty of the crime by an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital.

They were dragged before the court on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery as well as aiding and abetting.

In 2016, the accused persons had kidnapped the two Reverend Sisters, Perpetual Idowu Apo and Bukola Roseline Familade alongside their driver Yohanna Zibai at Onipetesi axis of Ondo State along Benin-Ore-Lagos expressway.

The victims were held hostage for 11 days in the forest until the payment of N1 million ransom was paid to secure their release.

The accused persons had pleaded guilty to the crime in 2018, during trial, shortly after they were arrested.

Narrating her ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers before the court, one of the victims, Reverend Sister Familade of St. Louis Convent, Zonkwa said the kidnap took place when their car developed a fault around 7 p.m.

She said it was in the process of waiting for someone to repair the vehicle that they were abducted by the accused persons who she said were heavily armed during the incident.

According to the prosecution led by Babatunde Falodun of the Department of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, the accused persons had allegedly conspired, kidnapped, and robbed the Reverend Sisters of their valuables with their victims’ ATM cards used to withdraw money from their accounts.

After finding them guilty of the crime, the trial judge, Justice Ademola Adegoroye sentenced the convicts to death by hanging.