A Circuit Court in Yendi in the Northern Region has sentenced a 30-year-old herdsman, Amadu Osman, to 10 years in prison with hard labour.
The suspect was convicted on his own plea of guilt when he was charged with the offence of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.
Both the suspect and the victim live in the Nanumba South District.
On August 10, 2023, the suspect sought the assistance of the victim, who is also a herdsman, Mohammed Umaru, to cross the Oti River after returning from Damanko, because the canoe operators had closed for the day.
The suspect pleaded with the victim to contact Bombo Nigmando, a canoe operator, to assist him in crossing the river.
According to the facts, the victim and the canoe owner crossed to the other side where the suspect was waiting.
Immediately the victim got out of the canoe, the suspect, along with four other accomplices who were armed with guns, arrested the victim.
After the arrest, they started shooting at the canoe operator, who subsequently dived into the river, swam across to the bank of the river, and ran home.
The suspect and his accomplices blindfolded the victim, dragged him to an unknown location, and took his phone to call his relatives for a ransom.
The victim’s relatives paid the money and the victim was released.
A brother of the victim, Osman Umaru, reported the case to the Nanumba South District police, who later arrested the suspect and put him before the Yendi Circuit Court.
His Honour Anthony Aduku-Aidoo, the presiding judge, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, sentenced the suspect, Amadu Osman, to 10 years in prison with hard labour.
