The police on Tuesday arraigned four persons in an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on alleged conspiracy and self-kidnapping.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants are two females, Suluka Abimbola, 16, and Adisa Damilola, 23, and two males, Oluwashina Olajide, 25, and Adefolaju Ayobami, 23.
According to the police prosecutor, Insp Johnson Okunade, the defendants committed the offences on June 15, at Alex Grace Hotel, Oke-Ila in Ado-Ekiti.
He alleged that the defendants conspired to obtain money under false pretence on Abimbola’s self-kidnapping.
Okunade said the defendants called Abimbola’s mother that her daughter (Abimbola) was in the custody of kidnappers and demanded a ransom of N400,000 for her release.
He added that Damilola’s account number was sent to Abimbola’s mother for the ransom to be paid into.
He said that they withdrew the money, but the account holder was later tracked and arrested by the police.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 516 and 419 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The prosecutor, however, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.
NAN reports that the defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr Busuyi Ayorinde, prayed the court to grant them bail, promising that they would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adedayo Oyebanji, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50,000 each with one surety each in like sum.
Oyebanji said each surety must provide real landed property.
He, thereafter, adjourned the case until July 5 for hearing.
