Nigerian faces extradition as he stands accused of kidnapping an American

An Accra Circuit court on Wednesday ordered the extradition of John Alibofi, a Nigerian, to Benin to enable him to stand trial following a kidnapping charge leveled against him.

Alibofi is accused of conspiring with five others namely; Osinachi Felix, Koko Basile, Alobofi Ifeakachukwu, Awiligbame and Bocobabho Fernand Comlan, to kidnap Kenneth Chawn Bischoff, an American.

The accused person and his accomplices demanded a ransom of $55,000 from the relations of Mr. Biscoff.

After cashing the amount the accused person and his accomplices released Mr. Biscoff.

The court, presided over Mrs. Patience Mills Tetteh, gave the order after the Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery, had prayed the court to extradite the accused person after he was picked up in Accra.

Alibofi is also facing an additional charge of conspiracy to commit crime and extortion.

The court did not take his plea.

DSP Dery said on June 6, this year, Interpol Accra, received a message from Interpol Cotonou, informing the unit that the accused person John Alibofi, a citizen of Nigeria together with others namely Osinachi Felix, Koko Basile, Alobofi Ifeakachukwu, Awiligbame and Bocobabho Fernand Comlan are wanted by the Beninios police authorities for kidnapping an American by name Kenneth Chawn Bischoff.

According to the prosecutor, the accused and his accomplices invited Kenneth to Lome in order to sell to him a substantial quantity of gold.

They then drove him to Benin where on realizing that the victim did not have any money on him to pay instantly, kidnapped him and kept him in a village in Benin from May 21 to 31, 2012.

In the course of the detention, the kidnappers demanded from the victim’s parents who reside in the USA a ransom of $55,000 to be paid in their bank at Ecobank Ghana.

Kenneth’s relations obliged and he was finally released after his kidnappers had cashed the said amount of money from the bank.

Kenneth was found during immigration checks between the Benin Togo borders at Hilacondji.

He was handed over to the American authorities after obtaining his statement on the case.

Prosecution said the message also indicated further that the accused and some others were suspected to be hiding in Ghana, precisely Kasoa and its environs, and requested Interpol Accra to be on the lookout.

On June 13, 2012, the accused was arrested by the police patrol team at Lapaz, a suburb of Accra, with the assistance of some civilians and was subsequently handed over to Interpol Accra for further action.

The accused is currently in custody at the CID Headquarters cells pending further investigations.