BY Austin Ogwuda

Asaba—A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, yesterday, sentenced a 22-year old student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Ndudi Ogwu, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for kidnapping a female nurse while on her way back home.
Sentenced along with him is a businessman, one Chukwudi Ifemeni.

The convicts were found guilty on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping. The court said it was satisfied that prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced the convicts to 10 years imprisonment each for kidnapping and four years each for conspiracy.

Prosecution had told the court that Ndudi Ogwu and Chukwudi Ifemeni, with two others now at large, kidnapped one Mrs. Kate Okogu, wife of one Mr Paul Okogu, in front of her house while she was returning home on September 13, 2012 in Ughelli, Delta State.
The kidnappers numbering about four, according to prosecution, had taken the nurse to a forest on Isoko-Patani Road, where she was unlawfully held captive, but was however, rescued unhurt by a team of soldiers the next day.

Ndudi Ogwu was arrested by a patrol team of the Joint Task Force, JTF, where the kidnapped victim was held captive as the one detailed to watch over her while the second accused was arrested through Ndudi’s confessional statement. They both admitted in their confessional statements to have committed the offence upon their arrest, but later denied the charge during trial.