There was a mild drama at an Asaba High Court after a mother of a convicted kidnapper became hysterical, following the 42-year-jail verdict passed on her son and two others.
The woman rolled on the floor and wept uncontrollably, misconstruing the verdict as a death sentence.
Her hysteria obstructed proceedings of court temporarily before she was taken away by police officers.
Innocent Atunye, Emmanuel Adebayo and Emmanuel Edokun were found guilty of kidnapping Otio Onoriode Paul on July 1, 2012 at Ogharaki and held him hostage for six days before he was released. N2million was allegedly paid.
They were arrested by operatives of the Department for State Security (DSS). The court discharged and acquitted them on the count of demanding property with menace and armed robbery.
Another high court sitting in Asaba sentenced a 25-year-old welder, Ebierim Onianwa, to 11 years in jail with hard labour for kidnapping his uncle.
He was found guilty of kidnapping Phillip Okocha on January 31, 2012 at Ibusa Asaba Expressway within the Asaba Judicial Division and held him hostage for four days.
Okocha was freed after N1million was allegedly paid as ransom.
