The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence imposed on a Delta State-based kidnapper, Chelynor Halim, bringing to a close a legal battle that began nearly a decade ago.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Halim’s appeal, ruling that it lacked merit and affirming the earlier decisions of the lower courts.
The court upheld the verdict of the Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, which convicted Halim in 2017 for offences bordering on kidnapping and armed robbery.
Court records showed that the conviction stemmed from the abduction of a woman, Joan Osemene, on February 9, 2014, in Ibusa, Delta State.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the victim was attacked and forcibly taken to an undisclosed location by a gang of kidnappers.
The prosecution established that Halim actively participated in the operation, during which the victim was assaulted, threatened with a firearm, and rendered unconscious after a substance was allegedly applied to her face.
The court also heard that the gang dispossessed Osemene of her Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card and cash before withdrawing additional funds from her bank account.
According to testimony presented before the court, the victim’s hands and legs were tied before she was abandoned at another location.
However, she later managed to free herself and escaped.
In a dramatic turn of events, Osemene reportedly encountered Halim while attempting to find her way back to safety. Upon recognizing him as one of her abductors, she raised an alarm, attracting members of the public who apprehended him before he could escape.
Following his arrest, Halim was handed over to security operatives and reportedly assisted investigators in locating the gang’s hideout. Subsequent security operations led to a confrontation during which the gang leader, identified as Edozie Obude, was killed.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme held that the prosecution successfully established the convict’s involvement in the crimes and sufficiently proved his identity as a member of the kidnapping gang.
The Supreme Court ruled that the evidence before the trial court clearly linked Halim to the offences and justified the conviction and sentence imposed on him.
Consequently, the apex court dismissed Appeal No. SC/CR/913/2022 and affirmed the death sentence handed down by the trial court.
The ruling comes amid increasing concerns over rising cases of kidnapping and violent crimes across several parts of the country, with security agencies continuing efforts to combat the growing threat and secure the release of victims currently in captivity.
