An Imo State High Court has sentenced 28-year-old point-of-sale (POS) operator Isaac Okorie to death by hanging for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of 83-year-old Chief Alexander Chukwuma Okoli and his driver, Daniel Sarki. The court found Okorie guilty on six counts, including armed robbery, hostage-taking, and murder, after the gang he conspired with received N2.515 million in ransom from the victims' family.
Judgment Delivered by Justice Matthew Ijezie
Justice Matthew Ijezie delivered the judgment on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Imo State High Court sitting in Urualla, within the Orlu Judicial Division. The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through the evidence presented in court. Before sentencing, Okorie was given the opportunity to plead for leniency, a process known as 'allocutus.' He pleaded for mercy, but the judge sentenced him to death by hanging.
Details of the Abduction and Ransom Payment
The case dates back to October 14, 2023, when Chief Okoli and his driver, Daniel Sarki, were abducted at Isiekenesi in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State. According to the court's account, Okorie conspired with other armed gang members to seize the two men and take them into a bush. The gang also stole Okoli's gold-coloured Toyota Corolla, with registration number AAH 989 RM.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦100 million from the victims' family for their release. However, the family could only pay ₦2.515 million, which was transferred via POS. Despite the payment, the gang killed both victims and sent photographs of their lifeless bodies to the family, according to the court's account. The bodies of the elderly man and his driver have not been recovered.
Prosecution and Reaction to the Sentence
During the trial, the court heard that Okorie's role in the gang's operations was to receive ransom payments from the families of kidnapping victims. His involvement in the operation formed part of the evidence considered by the court. After the judgment, Ikenna Obi, a senior state counsel with the Imo State Ministry of Justice who prosecuted the case, described the ruling as significant. Obi said the judgment would offer some measure of relief to the victims' family, even though the bodies had not been found. He also expressed hope that the conviction would deter people involved in kidnapping and armed robbery and discourage others from joining criminal gangs.
Amanda, the daughter of one of the victims, also expressed relief that the defendant had been punished. However, she said the family remained distressed by the failure to recover her father's body and that of his driver. She added that the judgment offered some comfort and expressed hope that other suspects still at large would be arrested and brought to justice.
Impact and Next Steps
The sentence marks a major development in the case, but the family is still waiting for the recovery of the two men's remains and for other suspects to face justice. The judgment underscores the legal consequences for those involved in kidnapping and ransom-taking in Imo State.
