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A 34-year-old man, Kingsley Etim Eyo, had been sentenced by the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Okoita, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area to 10 years imprisonment for abducting his cousin, a six-year-old boy.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the
victim, Goodnews Kufre Essien who had not been found, was reportedly abducted from his mother who sent him to buy Garri in Ikot Otoinyie Village, Uruan in the state
Eyo, a native of Ikot Otoinyie Village in Uruan Local Government Area who had on July 19, 2018, was convicted having been found guilty by Justice Okon Okon.
The judge held that the convict betrayed his cousin’s trust.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge leading to the full trial.
The prosecution team from the State Ministry of Justice, led by an Assistant Director of Prosecutions,Comfort Udo, called three witnesses.
The prosecution also tendered four exhibits, including the Police Investigation Report dated September 20, 2018, and the confessional statements of the convict in which he admitted that his percentage from the child trafficking was N80,000.
“The money that we sold Goodnews is with Joshua. My percentage of that money is N80,000.
“Yes myself, Denis Joshua went to a native doctor, Cletus from Ikot Akpa Ekong village in Uruan Local Government Area to do charm in order to hide it from people,” the convict said in his extrajudicial statement.
Justice Okon held: “I have thoroughly and meticulously read and reflected on the entirety of the extrajudicial statements of the defendant and have appraised, scrutinised and evaluated same with the evidence of prosecution witnesses.
“I can infer that the defendant worked in close collaboration with his friends and cohorts in taking away Goodnews Kufre Essien from the custody of his mother, the PW1.
“I have also taken into consideration the relationship of the defendant with PW1 (his aunt) and the child victim in this case.
“The defendant betrayed and compromised his close relationship with PW1 and her abducted child who according to the defendant calls him ‘Uncle’.
“The prosecution has beyond a reasonable doubt, proved the guilt of the defendant for child abduction as charged.
“I, therefore, find the defendant guilty.
‘The defendant, Kingsley Etim Eyo is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.”
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