Kidnapper sentenced to death by hanging in Delta

A notorious kidnap kingpin, David Tamarakpo, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a Delta State High Court, for armed robbery and his part in the abduction of the wife of a retired judge of the Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice A. P. A. Awala, Mrs Roli Awala.

The court sitting in Ughelli, found the convict guilty of leading a kidnap and robbery gang for years and was found guilty of four of the five count charges, including that of armed robbery.

His accomplices, including a popular herbalist in the state, Moses Omiovwobese, were sentenced to a total of 19 years in jail with hard labour for the same offence.

The court, presided over by Justice Ebiowe Tobi, sentenced the herbalist for accessory on grounds that the kidnapped victim was rescued from his shrine by the police.

39-year-old Happy Opute, the driver to the retired Jurist was found guilty on the count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was slammed with seven years jail term with hard labour.

According to the prosecutor, the accused persons with two others now at large, on or about August 5, 2009, at Ireden Crescent, GRA Warri, within the Warri Judicial Division, kidnapped one Mrs Awala and held her for six days before she was rescued.

They also robbed the victim, her husband and daughter of their mobile phone and Honda salon car, while armed with a gun.

The kidnappers were said to have asked for an initial ransom of N50 million, but later reduced it to N25 million before she could be released.