JOHN INYANG OKORO, JSC (DELIVERING THE LEADING JUDGMENT): The Appellant, as 3rd accused person, was arraigned before the High Court of Osun State, together with 5 other accused persons, for offences of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms. But for the 6th accused person who was struck out from the charge, the Appellant, together with his co-accused persons were convicted and jointly sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years for the offence of conspiracy, 10 years for kidnapping and 10 years for unlawful possession of firearms. The sentences were to run concurrently.
The facts of the case as shown in the record are that the PW1, Alhaja Muibat Salaam, the wife of Hon. Salaam Najeem who was former speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, having closed from her shop at about 7pm on 9th October, 2012 was driving home with her daughter in her Honda Accord car when she noticed that another Honda Accord was trailing her. On getting to Oke-Oye after Union church, Ejigbo the tr…