Court Sentences Two Men To Life Imprisonment For Kidnapping Rivers Senator’s Wife And Her Friend

Published: January 23, 2020

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Abel Okoro and Vincent Wilson to life imprisonment for kidnapping Mrs Asime Sekibo, who is the wife of Senator George Thompson-Sekibo, the lawmaker representing the Rivers East Senatorial District in the Senate.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Asime Sekibo and her friend, Evely Awinika-Osai, were kidnapped on March 22nd, 2012, around Obiri Ikwerre axis of East West road on their way back from Study at the University of Port Harcourt.

They were held by their abductors for five days until a ransom of N10 million was paid by the family of the victims around Mbiama in Ahoada West.

The suspects, Abel Okoro and Vincent Wilson, were first arraigned before the court on the 21st of September 2012, on nine count charges of felony, kidnapping, Armed robbery and rape.

During the trial on Wednesday, Justice E. Thompson ruled that the court found the accused persons guilty and thereafter sentenced the two men to life imprisonment without option of fine. She ruled:

“In all, I found the defendants guilty of conspiracy to kidnap and the kidnap of Princess Asime George Sekibo and Evelyn Anwulika Ossai in counts 1, 2, 3, and 4. I find the defendants not guilty for the offence of armed robbery and armed kidnap of Francisca Ijeoma Oddey and Iseme Hassan in counts 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

“I hereby sentence you, Abel Okoro, to life imprisonment without an option of fine for conspiracy and kidnap of Princess Asimie George Sekibo and Evelyn Anwulika Ossai on March 22, 2012, at Obiri Ikwerre on the East-West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“I also sentence you, Wilson Gift Vincent, to life imprisonment without an option of fine for conspiracy and kidnap of Asimei George Sekibo and Evelyn Anwulika Ossai on March 22, 2012, at Obiri Ikwerre on the East-West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”

The counsel for the 1st convict, E. Ochu, as well at the state counsel, N. Fike, declined making any comments outside the courtroom after the judgment.

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