ANCITY NEWS – An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has sentenced a convicted kidnapper, Celestine, to death after finding him guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping in a case that saw a victim held captive and forced to transfer millions of naira to his abductors.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Sylvester Odili, comes just days after two other convicted kidnappers received death sentences in separate cases in Nnewi, underscoring the judiciary’s tough stance against violent crimes in Anambra State.
According to evidence presented before the court, Celestine was a member of an armed gang that attacked one Chukwudi Collins at gunpoint, dispossessed him of his vehicle and valuables, and subsequently abducted him.
Prosecutors told the court that the victim was held hostage for approximately 24 hours and compelled to transfer about N6.7 million from his bank account while in captivity before he was eventually released.
Justice Odili ruled that the prosecution successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt through eyewitness testimonies, bank transaction records, and other documentary evidence tendered before the court.
The prosecution team, led by Chief State Counsel, Mr. Ekwerekwu Uchenna, presented three witnesses alongside financial records that traced payments made by the victim during his ordeal.
The court further heard that the convict evaded arrest for nearly six months before security operatives tracked him to Enugu State and later apprehended him in Onitsha.
During the trial, Celestine initially made a confessional statement but later retracted it. His defence team challenged the admissibility of the statement, arguing that it failed to comply with Section 14 of the Anambra State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), 2022.
The law mandates that all confessional statements must be video-recorded to ensure transparency and accountability during investigations.
Justice Odili agreed with the defence on that point and subsequently expunged the confession from the court’s records due to the absence of the required video evidence.
Despite excluding the confession, the court held that overwhelming independent evidence, including eyewitness accounts and financial transaction records, sufficiently linked the convict to the crimes.
In his ruling, the judge affirmed that the prosecution had successfully proven the offences of armed robbery and kidnapping under the laws of Anambra State and accordingly sentenced the defendant to death.
Although convicted, Celestine retains the constitutional right to challenge the judgment before the Court of Appeal.
Judicial authorities in Anambra State noted that the ruling not only demonstrates the courts’ resolve against kidnapping and armed robbery but also reinforces strict compliance with legal provisions governing the recording of confessional statements.
The latest judgment adds to a growing list of convictions that signal a tougher judicial response to criminal activities across the state, with authorities insisting that perpetrators of violent crimes will face the full weight of the law.
