by ‘Jola Sotubo

Justice has been served in the case of the kidnap of Abiodun Abdulkadir Baraje, son of former People’s Democratic Party stalwart, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, as his abductors have been sentenced to spend 22 years behind bars.

The sentence was passed down by an Ilorin High Court upon Ajadi Oba Abdulrasheed and Ayeni Abayomi.

The convicts, who were said to have committed the crime with 2 others still at large,  were found guilty on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnap, extortion and armed robbery.

P.M. News reports:

While Ajadi Oba AbdulRasheed was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on the first and second charges of kidnapping and extortion and a fine of N100,000, Ayeni Abayomi also bagged 10 years on the first and second charges of kidnapping and extortion and a fine of N100,000. The sentences are to run concurrently commencing from the day the judgment was delivered.

Delivering judgment, Justice Mahmud AbdulGafar, who noted that two others that were connected with the offences, Rasaq and Yakubu AbdulRasaq, were still at large, said he found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnap and extortion of Abiodun Abdulkadir Baraje, son of the former Acting National Chairman of PDP,Alh Abubakar Kawu Baraje, contrary to section 97 of the penal code.

Justice AbdulGafar disclosed further that the first and second accused persons were guilty of conspiracy and extortion of 100,000 dollars from Bilikis Baraje, the wife of Biodun Baraje, as a result of threat that her husband, Biodun Baraje, would be killed if the said sum was not paid, which the Judge said was contrary to section 292 of the penal code.

The said offence was committed on the 4 February 2010 at Success and Regards Filling Station along Asa Dam Road, Ilorin, where the accused persons kidnapped Abiodun Abdulkadir Baraje.