The Akwa Ibom State High Court in Okoita, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, has sentenced a 34-year-old man, Kingsley Etim Eyo, to 10 years imprisonment for abducting his cousin, a six-year-old boy.
The boy has still not been found.
Eyo, a native of Ikot Otoinyie Village in Uruan Local Government Area, was convicted having been found guilty by Justice Okon Okon.
The judge held that the convict betrayed his cousin’s trust.
The convict and one other had on July 19, 2018, abducted Goodnews Kufre Essien from his mother who sent him to buy Garri in Ikot Otoinyie Village, Uruan.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge leading to the full trial.
The prosecution team from the State Ministry of Justice, led by Comfort Udo, an Assistant Director of Prosecutions, called three witnesses.
The prosecution also tendered four exhibits, including the Police Investigation Report dated September 20, 2018, and the confessional statements of the convict in which he admitted that his percentage from the child trafficking was N80,000.
“The money that we sold Goodnews is with Joshua. My percentage of that money is N80,000.
“Yes myself, Denis Joshua went to a native doctor, Cletus from Ikot Akpa Ekong village in Uruan Local Government Area to do charm in order to hide it from people,” the convict said in his extrajudicial statement.
Justice Okon held: “I have thoroughly and meticulously read and reflected on the entirety of the extrajudicial statements of the defendant and have appraised, scrutinised and evaluated same with the evidence of prosecution witnesses.
“I can infer that the defendant worked in close collaboration with his friends and cohorts in taking away Goodnews Kufre Essien from the custody of his mother, the PW1.
“I have also taken into consideration the relationship of the defendant with PW1 (his aunt) and the child victim in this case.
“The defendant betrayed and compromised his close relationship with PW1 and her abducted child who according to the defendant calls him ‘Uncle’.
“The prosecution has beyond a reasonable doubt, proved the guilt of the defendant for child abduction as charged.
“I, therefore, find the defendant guilty.
‘The defendant, Kingsley Etim Eyo is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.”
(Nation)
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