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Serikin Fulani, Two Others Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Kidnapping
They are hereby found guilty as charged and are so convicted
Ilorin, Kwara State – Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court delivered a decisive blow against kidnapping activities in the state on Thursday, the court sentenced Alhaji Usman Adamu, popularly known as the Serikin Fulani (Head of the Fulani) in Kwara State, along with his brother and accomplice Gidado Idris, to life imprisonment for conspiracy to kidnap and the subsequent commission of kidnapping.
The Department of State Security investigated the case, and the prosecution was handled by the Director of Public Prosecutions within the state Ministry of Justice.
Mr. Ayoola Akande, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), filed charges against the Serikin Fulani and two accomplices for kidnapping Abubakar Ahmad. They allegedly collected a ransom of N1 million before eventually releasing Ahmad after he spent 20 days in captivity in the bush.
According to the prosecution, the kidnapping incident occurred between May and June of 2022.
In her ruling, Justice Akinpelu stated that the three individuals were in unanimous agreement to commit the offence. She emphasized that their physical presence at the kidnapping scene was immaterial to their culpability.
She further noted that the convicts had allegedly apprehended their victim under the guise of arresting him as a kidnapping suspect, using this pretext to extort money from him.
“I am not persuaded by the submissions of counsel for the defendants to dismiss the two-count charge against them based on the fact that they were not at the scene of the incident.”
“It is saddening and disturbing that community leaders charged with the welfare of their subjects could, because of the love for money, breach the security of the same subjects.
“They are hereby found guilty as charged and are so convicted.”
After considering the convicts’ plea during their allocutus, where they mentioned having over 20 children, more than eight wives, and being the primary providers for their families, the judge responded by stating.
“They are hereby found guilty as charged and are so convicted,”
“By Section 15 of the Kwara State Anti-Kidnapping Law, the court cannot exercise any discretion of leniency, so you are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment. The sentence is to run concurrently.”
She issued an order for a sum of N600,000 to be paid to Alhaji Ahmad, the victim of the abduction.