OSOGBO—An Osogbo Senior Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered that three men should be remanded in prison custody for allegedly kidnapping a septuagenarian and demanding N500,000 ransom from her family.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Elisha Olusegun, told the court that the accused persons, Fawole Abimbola, Peter Tominie and Olumide Adeniyi, with others at large, conspired and committed the offence in August  at  Inisa, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

He alleged that the accused, who were armed with guns, kidnapped 70-year-old Victoria Babatunde and detained her in an unknown location for several days against her wish.

According to him, they also demanded N500,000 as ransom, under threat, from the son of the woman, Ayotunde Babatunde.

However, the three accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges, while the bail application filed by Mr  Remi Ayoade, counsel to the third accused, was not granted.

Senior Magistrate Olusola Aluko ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody till Dec.  23 when the case would come up for further mention.

Ayoade, as well as counsel to Abimbola and Tominie, who were not in court, were asked to submit formal bail applications on the adjourned date for the court’s consideration.