Supreme Court affirms death by hanging sentence for kidnapper

Nigeria's Supreme Court has upheld a death by hanging sentence for Chelynor Halim, a convicted kidnapper from Delta State. The apex court unanimously dismissed Halim's appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had previously affirmed his conviction and sentence.

Halim was initially convicted in 2017 by a High Court in Asaba, Delta State. Evidence presented at the trial established his involvement in armed robbery and kidnapping. The court heard that Halim and his accomplices kidnapped Joan Osemene on February 9, 2014, holding her captive and stealing money from her ATM card. The victim testified that she was threatened with a gun and drugged before being abandoned.

During the escape, the victim recognized Halim, who was driving a motorcycle, and alerted bystanders who apprehended him. Halim subsequently led security forces to his gang's hideout, where a shootout resulted in the death of the gang leader. Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, reading the lead judgment, confirmed that the evidence clearly identified Halim as a participant in the crime, dismissing his appeal marked SC/CR/913/2022.