A judge of Akwa Ibom State High Court, Justice Okon Okon, escaped death as kidnappers from Rivers State attacked him in the court premises in Uyo, threatening to kill him for sentencing them to death.

It was learnt that as soon as the presiding judge pronounced the death sentence on the kidnappers, the condemned bandits began to abuse him.

They also threatened to kill the Akwa Ibom State Government Prosecution team.

The condemned criminals in Uyo on Tuesday went berserk, destroying the window of the court room, causing pandemonium along Ikot Ekpene Road, where the court is located.

The situation became messy in other courts as litigants and lawyers ran helter-skelter for their lives.

It was gathered that for about an hour, the kidnappers refused to leave the courtroom, throwing the court into pandemonium.

Our correspondent learnt that it took the intervention of the detachment of soldiers and policemen before the convicted criminals could be reined in.

They were subsequently taken to waiting prison van.

The condemned kidnappers included Bernard Efe Ajomaya, Christian Charles Naya, Daniel West and Shedrach Dick Dala.

They were said to have, on May 19, 2015, kidnapped a medical doctor in Uyo, Usen Bassey, from his Ini Abasi Clinic, where they demanded a N10m ransom.

The kidnappers were said to have been arrested on their way back to Rivers State in Ogoni, with part of the ransom, passport and financial documents belonging to the medical doctor. – Punch

Jul. 31, 2018 @ 17:49 GMT |