Police Corporal and Bus Conductor Sentenced to Death for Kidnapping Vice Principal in Akwa Ibom
In a landmark ruling, the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has delivered a death sentence to a police corporal and a bus conductor for their involvement in the 2015 kidnapping of Elder Ajara Johnson Medie, the Vice Principal of Community Secondary School, Nkek, Ukanafun Local Government Area. The convicts, Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, a 41-year-old police corporal attached to Mopol 57 in Ukana, Essien Udim, and Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, a bus conductor, were found guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms, leading to their sentencing to death by hanging.
Details of the Kidnapping Incident
The court heard that on July 5, 2015, at approximately 3:30 pm, Elder Medie was returning from church with his wife and other family members along Urua Akpan Udosen/Ikot Unah Road in Ukanafun. Four armed men, driving in a Toyota Camry, blocked his vehicle and forcefully abducted him, speeding off to an unknown destination. During the abduction, the assailants seized his wife's handbag, which contained critical documents such as a will, a Power of Attorney, reading glasses, and a GSM phone.
The victim testified that he was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location, where his captors demanded a ransom of N50 million from his family, threatening to kill him if their demands were not met. Eventually, the family paid a ransom of N200,000 on July 10, 2015, through the victim's younger sister, leading to his release. He was dropped off in Bori, Rivers State, and reported the incident to the Bori Police Station, which arranged his transportation back to Ukanafun.
Confessional Statements and Evidence
In his confessional statement, Police Corporal Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday admitted to participating in the kidnapping. He revealed that he was contacted by an individual named Felix, whom he knew from Mopol 56 in Ogoni. Felix introduced another person known as "Different Man," who claimed that an unnamed "honourable" wanted the victim kidnapped over allegations that Medie had killed his friend. Friday drove his Toyota Camry to block the victim's vehicle, enabling Felix and Isaac to forcefully move Medie into the car.
When the Camry developed a fault, Friday traveled to Uyo to retrieve his Volkswagen Golf and returned to continue the operation, transporting the victim to a bush in Ogoni, Rivers State. He emphasized that the weapon used was not an official police firearm and that his accomplices were not police officers. During a search of his residence, authorities recovered a locally made revolver pistol, three rounds of 9mm live ammunition, five rounds of AK-47 ammunition, one empty AK-47 magazine, one wrap of Indian hemp, CCTV equipment, multiple GSM phones, ATM cards, SIM packs, and car accessories.
Bus conductor Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, in his confessional statement, admitted that they waited near the victim's residence in Ukanafun after being informed he would return from church. Ndeesor also confessed to stealing the victim's phone and using it, which led to his arrest after security agencies tracked the device.
Court Judgment and Sentencing
Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel, presiding over the case, expressed disapproval of the protracted trial, noting that the case, filed in 2016, was only concluded in 2026, resulting in a 10-year delay, which he deemed unacceptable. The judge dismissed the first defendant's claims of a frame-up, stating that his explanations were inconsistent and did not affect the substance of the charges.
Justice Daniel questioned, "How can a Police officer lead a gang of kidnappers to abduct a poor victim returning from church with his wife and family?" He held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicting the defendants on all counts. The judge sentenced each defendant to five years imprisonment for conspiracy, seven years imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms, and death by hanging, stating, "you shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on you."
This ruling underscores the judiciary's firm stance against kidnapping and related crimes in Akwa Ibom State, highlighting the severe consequences for those involved in such heinous acts, particularly when law enforcement personnel are implicated.
