One Emmanuel Okomeyin, aged 27, and Anyia Austine, aged 30, have been arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over the alleged attempted kidnap of their employer’s wife.
According to the reports, the suspects who were employed as drivers, were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and attempted kidnap.
The court heard that the suspects attempted to kidnap their employer’s wife, Mrs Ijeoma Ezeokafor, from their home.
Police prosecutor, Michael Unah, said the accused committed the offences on October 26, 2018, around 1pm at 1A Dora Crescent, Ajah, Lagos.
Unah added that the pair had hoped to collect a ransom fee of N20 million from their employer.
Unah stated, “The police got the information from an undisclosed source that the accused were planning to kidnap their employer’s wife at her residence in order to collect N20m ransom from her husband.
“A team of policemen went to the residence of the complainant and let the cat out of the bag and the accused were handed over to the police.”
The charges read, “That you, Emmanuel Okomeyin and Anyia Austine, on October 26, 2018, around 1pm in Ajah, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; kidnapping, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you, Emmanuel Okomeyin and Anyia Austine, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did attempt to kidnap one Ijeoma Ezeokafor, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 406 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
Presiding over the case, Mr A.A Fashola, in response to the not guilty plea by the accused, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two responsible sureties each in like sum.
He added that the sureties must be gainfully employed with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and their addresses verified by the court.
Fashola also said that the sureties must be blood relations of the accused and must also reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
The case was later adjourned till February 25, 2019, for mention.
