Nemesis! Police arraign three for stealing child
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arraigned three suspects before a magistrate’s court in Nung Udoe in the Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of state for alleged child theft and kidnapping.
The charge sheet with which the accused were arraigned stated that they, conspired among themselves to commit kidnapping, an offence said to be punishable under Section 552 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Volume ll Laws of Akwa Ibom State.
“The suspects also committed an offence contrary to Section 1, sub1(a) and punishable under Section 1 (2) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal and Security Enforcement Law 2009,” it added.
A presiding senior magistrate, Glory Udonah, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the case. Udonah stated that the involvement of a minor in the matter made it the exclusive of the chief magistrate to sit on the case.
She, however, ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Kufre Umoiyak, told the court that the police had concluded investigations on the case.
Southern City News learnt that the gang was apprehended in Ikot Akpaetok, Ibesikpo Asutan by men of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.
The suspects, Imo Daniel, Theresa Akpan and a minor, were said to have kept and operated a baby factory in Ikot Akpaetok.
Meanwhile, a Mercedes-Benz saloon car in a police escort, which conveyed the suspects to a court in Uyo, was involved in a crash along the Aka-Nung Udoe Road.
Although the operatives and the suspects were unhurt, the car bonnet and other parts were damaged.
In January, this year, two female suspects; Blessing James and Blessing Robinson, were arraigned before the Magistrate Court, Nung Udoe, on three counts of conspiracy, felony and kidnapping.
Between June and December 2014, six male children, aged 18 and 48 months were kidnapped from Ikot Akpaetok community.
Four of the children are still missing while the police have not made any arrest in connection with the missing kids.Punch
