By Jerry Uwah
Lagos
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos state High Court in Ikeja yesterday sentenced two brothers, Eteobong and David Udoh, to death for armed robbery and kidnapping.
The convicts and a female accomplice, Eno Victor, were also sentenced to 21-years in prison for kidnapping one Olurinde Ojerinde, a financial adviser.
The judge acquitted Eno of the charge of armed robbery on the ground that no evidence linked her with the crime.
They were arraigned by the Lagos state government on July 31, 2013 on a three-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery.
They all pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
Justice Ipaye in his judgement held that the stiff punishments should send a signal to the streets of Lagos that there would be zero tolerance for such heinous crimes.
He held: “The first, second and third defendants were all part of a criminal enterprise, instead of choosing a honest living, they chose a path of extreme violence leaving a trail of grief and pain in their wake.
“It also came to the notice of this court during the trial that the defendants were serial offenders specialising in kidnapping.”
The prosecutor said Ojerinde escaped when Eno, who was assigned to oversee Ojerinde’s welfare, unwittingly left the doors to their apartment open when she went to buy some food.
“Ojerinde noticed that the doors to the apartment were open and that there was unusual silence in the house.
“Taking a big risk to his life, he crept out of the room and past some of the kidnappers who were all fast asleep in the living room.”
