An Effurun High Court in Uvwie local government area of Delta State has sentenced to death a 43-year-old bus driver, Peter Onwusiribekan, by hanging for kidnapping and robbing a female nurse of her car two years ago.

 

The court found the accused guilty of the three-count charge, ranging from conspiracy to commit armed robbery, the substantive offence of armed robbery which is a capital offence and kidnapping, and was sentenced to death. He also bagged two years imprisonment on count two and another five years on count three respectively.

 

The convict said to hail from Imo State and two others now at large, on December 5, 2011 kidnapped a nursing staff (name withheld) of Ekpan General Hospital and held her for three days before later releasing her.

 

The prosecution told the court that the accused with his gang members, now at large, also robbed the nurse of her Toyota Corolla Salon car while armed with guns.

 

The court in its judgment relied on Doctrine of Recent Possession which states that any person found in possession of any recent stolen property is presumed to be the thief except such can give cogent and reasonable explanations.

 

By THEOPHILLUS ONOJEGHEN