The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and death sentence by hanging imposed on Delta State-based kidnapper Chelynor Halim, ending a protracted legal battle that began following his arrest in connection with a 2014 kidnapping case in Delta State.
The judgment was delivered on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Abuja by a five-member panel of the apex court in a unanimous decision that dismissed Halim’s final appeal for lacking merit and upheld the rulings of both the Delta State High Court in Asaba and the Court of Appeal.
Court records show that the case originated from a kidnapping incident that occurred on February 9, 2014, in Ibusa, Delta State, where a woman identified as Joan Osemene was abducted by armed men while returning from a social engagement. The victim was taken to an undisclosed location where she was reportedly assaulted and dispossessed of valuables.
During trial proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence linking Halim to the kidnapping operation. The victim, who survived the attack, testified in court and identified the convict as one of the men involved in her abduction. Her testimony formed a key part of the prosecution’s case, alongside investigative findings from security agencies.
Following his arrest, Halim was arraigned before the Delta State High Court on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery. In 2017, the trial court found him guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging, a decision later affirmed by the Court of Appeal after he challenged both conviction and sentence.
At the Supreme Court, Halim’s legal team argued that the conviction was unsafe and that the evidence relied upon by the lower courts was insufficient to sustain a death sentence. However, the apex court rejected these arguments, holding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering the lead judgment, the Supreme Court held that there was no justification to interfere with the concurrent findings of the lower courts, noting that the identification evidence and witness testimony were credible and properly evaluated.
The court subsequently dismissed the appeal marked SC/CR/913/2022 and affirmed the sentence of death by hanging.
The ruling brings finality to a case that has lasted more than a decade, drawing attention due to the persistence of kidnapping-related crimes in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the southern region where law enforcement agencies have intensified operations against armed criminal groups.
Delta State, where the crime occurred, has remained one of the areas affected by sporadic kidnapping incidents over the years, prompting increased judicial prosecutions and security interventions aimed at deterrence.
Legal observers say the judgment underscores the Supreme Court’s consistent stance on violent crimes involving abduction, especially where strong identification evidence and corroborated witness testimony exist.
As of June 6, 2026, no further appeal options remain within Nigeria’s judicial system, and the sentence is now subject to administrative procedures within the correctional system.
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