Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the kidnappers of Prof. Mike Ozekhome and Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, to 20 years imprisonment.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Nyako sentenced Kelvin Oniarah and Frank Azuekor after convicting them of kidnapping and terrorism.
The judge, however, discharged Michael Omonigho, a priest of a shrine, who was arraigned along with the convicts.
According to the Judge, some of the 14-count charges for which the convicts were arraigned, carried life imprisonment but she applied her discretion to sentence them to 20 years imprisonment, which commenced from the date of their arrest.
Before the Judge handed down the sentence, she gave the defendants room to plead for leniency.
The defendants prayed the court to hand the minimum sentences to them.
They pleaded that they have been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for 10 years, and have serious health issues.
Justice Binta Nyako admonished the defendants that being disadvantaged in society is not a ticket to committing crimes, as no one has the right to vent their frustration on other citizens.
Justice Nyako added that even though the nature of their offence demands sentencing to death or life imprisonment, she took into consideration the fact that they have been in the custody of the DSS since 2013.