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Supreme Court Affirms Death Sentence for Delta Kidnapper

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Affirms Death Sentence for Delta Kidnapper

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Supreme Court has affirmed the death sentence by hanging handed to a convicted kidnapper from Delta State, Chelynor Halim, bringing to a close a lengthy legal battle over his involvement in a high-profile abduction case that dates back to February 2014. In a unanimous ruling delivered on Friday, June 5, 2026, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Halim’s appeal and upheld the judgment of the lower courts, ruling that the evidence against him was overwhelming and sufficient to sustain his conviction. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme held that the prosecution successfully established the identity and participation of the appellant in the crimes, and that the evidence presented during trial clearly placed him at the scene and linked him directly to the kidnapping operation.

The case dates back to February 9, 2014, when Halim and his accomplices kidnapped Joan Osemene in the Ibusa area of Delta State. The victim was seized by the gang and taken to an unknown location, where she was subjected to a terrifying ordeal. According to court records, Halim slapped the victim, threatened her with a firearm, and later covered her nose with a cloth containing a substance that rendered her unconscious. The gang leader, identified as Edozie Obude, reportedly grabbed the victim by the throat, struck her neck with a metal object, and ordered that she be thoroughly searched. During the search, the gang dispossessed her of N10,000 in cash and her ATM card, which they later used to withdraw N55,000 from her bank account.

The victim testified that after the robbery, her hands and legs were tied and she was taken to another location where the gang abandoned her. In a dramatic turn of events, she eventually managed to free herself and escape. As she ran until she reached a major road, she flagged down a motorcyclist to help her move farther from the area. However, in an ironic twist, the motorcyclist turned out to be Chelynor Halim — one of her attackers. Upon recognizing him, she raised an alarm, prompting nearby bystanders to apprehend him before he could flee. He was subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation. During the probe, Halim reportedly provided information that led authorities to the gang’s hideout. A confrontation between security agents and the criminal group followed, resulting in the death of the gang leader, Edozie Obude, in a shootout. The second accused, Emeka Okeze, was arrested through information provided by Halim. Both men were subsequently tried and convicted.

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Halim was first convicted in 2017 by a High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, which held that the proof of evidence established his involvement in armed robbery and kidnapping. The presiding Judge, Justice Sylvester Okoh, found that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, kidnapping, and assault punishable under section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R. 11 Volume 14, Laws of the Federation 2014 and under section 3(1)(a) of the Delta State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism Law 2013. Their defense was dismissed, and they were accordingly found guilty and convicted. Following the 2017 conviction, Halim appealed the judgment. However, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, leading to a final appeal to the Supreme Court. On Friday, the apex court dismissed the appeal marked SC/CR/913/2022 for lacking merit and affirmed the sentence of death by hanging earlier imposed on the convict.

Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, who delivered the lead judgment, is a respected Justice of the Court of Appeal who herself survived a harrowing kidnapping ordeal in 2019. She was abducted in Benin City along with four others on October 30, 2019, and her police orderly of 12 years was fatally shot during the incident. She was held captive for 14 days before being released unharmed. Her kidnappers, who initially posed as uniformed policemen, reportedly treated her with respect after learning her identity from social media, calling her “Madam Justice” and acknowledging that she had “broken the internet.” The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had decried her non-release during the ordeal, calling it “disheartening and distressing.” Senior Advocate Mike Ozekhome also issued an open letter pleading with her captors to release her “unhurt, unmolested and unhurt.”

The Supreme Court’s judgment comes at a time when concerns over kidnapping and violent crimes remain high across Nigeria. Security agencies have continued efforts to tackle criminal networks responsible for abductions in several parts of the country. The case of Chelynor Halim serves as a significant legal precedent, demonstrating the full weight of the law against convicted kidnappers and armed robbers in the nation’s judicial system.