The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday okayed death penalty for offenders as it passed the Anti-kidnapping Bill into law.
Tagged “A bill for a law to provide for the prohibition of the act of kidnapping and for other connected purposes”, it will become law after Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s assent.
The bill prescribes death sentence for kidnappers whose victims died in their custody. Kidnappers whose victims did not die in their custody will get life jail.
It was passed following the adoption of a report presented by Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho.
Speaker Mudasiru Obasa directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to send a copy of the bill to Ambode for assent.
The bill states: “Any person, who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or tricks with intent to demand ransom or do anything against his/her will, commits an offence, and liable on conviction to death sentence”.
The bill criminalises attempt to kidnap and stipulates life imprisonment for anyone who attempts to kidnap another person.
Also, the bill is against false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted person. This attracts seven years imprisonment.
The lawmakers also approved 25 years imprisonment for whoever threatens to kidnap another person through phone call, e-mail, text message or any other means of communication.
The bill provides that any person, who knowingly or wilfully allows or permits his premises, building or a place to which he has control of to be used for the purposes of keeping a person kidnapped, is guilty of an offence under the law and liable to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The House also adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Youths and Sports on: “A bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the Lagos State Sports Commission and for connected purpose”.