From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba has sentenced a kidnap kingpin, Daniel Okafor (aka Odogwu Anam) to 11 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to abduct an Asaba-based industrialist, Chief John Ucheche in 2013.
Okafor,who claimed to be the chairman of a non-existent National Task Force on Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Light Weapons and Monitoring of Oil Pipeline Vandalism, River Niger Operations was found guilty of two-count charge of conspiracy and attempted kidnap.
Both offences are punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Volume I, Laws of Delta State, 2006.
The court sentenced him to five years imprisonment for conspiracy, and six years for the attempted kidnap. He was, however, discharged and acquitted on the charge of attempted murder.
Okafor was arrested following the confessional statement of one of the assailants, Ifeanyi Iwuno, who later escaped from police custody after his arrest for the attempted kidnap of Ucheche on or about January 16, 2013 at Asaba within the Asaba Judicial Division.
Iwuno still at large, during police interrogation admitted being part of the gang that attempted to kidnap Chief Ucheche, and fingered Okafor, as the one who sent them on the mission.
After the failed kidnap attempt Ucheche had petitioned the Commissioner of Police through his lawyer wherein he stated that his assailants were also on a mission to kill him as they fired gunshots at him which landed on his hand and destroyed two tyres of his Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle.