A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kofar Fada Zaria, Kaduna State on Wednesday sentenced an artisan, Bashir Adamu, 25, for attempting to kidnap a businessman in Zaria.
The police charged Adamu, who resides in Wusasa Zaria, Kaduna with criminal intimidation and attempted abduction.
Delivering her ruling, Chief Magistrate Zainab Garba, held that the sentence was pursuant to the provisions of Section 247 (3) of the Penal Code Law.
Garba did not give the convict any option to pay a fine.
”Even thought the convict pleaded the court for leniency, being a first offender, the convict shall serve his sentence in view of the rampant cases of such crimes.
”The punishment will serve as deterrent to others.
“I hereby sentence you to 14 years imprisonment without option of fine pursuant to Section 247 (3) of the penal code and you have the right of appeal within 30 days,’’ Garba said.
The Prosecution Counsel, Insp Abdullahi Sarki, told the court that Kenneth Chinanuife, a businessman of No. 11 Park Road Sabon Gari Zaria reported the matter at the Federal Intelligence Bureau, Intelligence Response Team Base of Puff Adder in Rigachikun, Kaduna.
He said that Chinanuife reported that on Oct. 8, 2020 he received a threatening call that he will be kidnapped if he did not produce one million Naira.
The prosecutor said detectives traced and arrested Adamu while in the process of collecting the ransom and N108, 000 was recovered from him (Adamu).