An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in the Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state has sentenced two police officers and three others to death for kidnapping.

The accused were sentenced to death on Friday for kidnapping an Uyo based cattle dealer identified as Alh Muhammed Umar Barkindo.

The presiding judge, justice Eno Isangedighi, held that the accused were guilty of the offence.

She said, “The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubts and found the accused guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping Alhaji Muhammad Umar Barkindo on 25th November 2011, an offense punishable by death in Section one subsection two of Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009.”

The condemned Police officers are Corporal Friday Udo, a native of Ikot Inyang in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, and Corporal Saturday Okorie of Ikot Etenge also in Oruk Anam who have since been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.

Others condemned to death were Walter Jack Udo, a native of Iwok Nsit in Nsit Atai, Udo Moses Akpaetuk of Ikot Ada Idem, Ibiono Ibom, and Udo Okon Etim from Ikot Asua in Nsit Atai whose house was used to custody the victim, while demanding one hundred million Naira ransom.