Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, convicted and sentenced Taraba based kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly called Wadume, to seven years imprisonment, for unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms and for escaping from prison custody.
The court specifically convicted the kidnapper of escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.
Justice Nayako also convicted Wadume on counts two and 10 of the 13-count charge brought against him and six others by the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
The judge had on July 22, 2022 delivered judgment on other defendants in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/30/2020.
Other defendants are: Aliyu Dadje (a police inspector); Auwalu Bala (aka omo razor); Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu); Bashir Waziri (aka baba runs); Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.
Details of court papers, which emerged on Sunday, August 14, showed that the case of the prosecution team was upheld.
In the verdict, Inspector Dadje was sentenced to three years for tampering with police records to conceal a crime.
Dadje was the Station officer at the Ibi Divisional Police Headquarters, Ibi Local Council of Taraba State at the time of the crime.
According to court records, he tampered with entries made by the leader, Inspector Felix Adolije of the IGP, IRT team in August 2019, by tearing off the entry page to cover up for Captain Tijani Ahmed Balarabe and his team.
Other suspects sentenced to seven years imprisonment each are: Uba Bala, popularly called Uba Deli and Zubairu Abdullahi, alias Basho, having been charged with illegal possession and unlawful trading in prohibited weapons.
One Mr. Abdul, a resident in Kano, was sentenced to three years imprisonment for harbouring Wadume, after he escaped from Police custody in Ibi.
While, two suspects, Auwal Bala, alias Omo Razor and Bashir Waziri, alias Baba Runs, listed as 3rd and 5th defendants were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence against them.
But Nigerians on social media are reacting to the sentencing of the court and wondering why the notorious kidnapper only got 7 years.
