The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a bill with a recommendation of stiffer penalties, including death sentence for kidnappers
The lawmakers passed the bill today, Thursday, for a Law to Provide for the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping and for Other Connected Purposes after the third reading.
The bill was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa and specifically recommends death sentence for kidnappers whose victims die in their custody and life sentence for kidnappers whose victims do not die in the hands of their abductors.
The bill states that any person, who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or trick with intent to demand ransom or do anything against his/her will, commits an offence. The bill also stipulates life imprisonment for anyone who makes an attempt to kidnap another person.
The bill prescribes seven years imprisonment for anyone making false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted person.
The passage of the bill was also sequel to the adoption of a report presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Mrs. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho. [myad]
