The Ekiti state High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday has sentenced two persons to death by hanging for armed robbery.
The defendants, Olusegun Folorunso,53, Ajayi Dele, 51, were arraigned before Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi on three count charge on Conspiracy and Armed Robbery.
During trial, the prosecution Counsel, Kunle-Shina Adeyemi told the court that the defendants committed the crime on Aug. 24, 2022 along Erio- Ekiti.
He said that the defendants armed with guns and cutlasses robbed one Ajogbeje Ayodeji of his Ash coloured Sonata Hyundai car, phone and Laptop computer, on same date, day and place, they also rob one Oluwasegun Oke of his phone.
According to the charge, the offences are contrary to section 6(b) of the Robbery and Fire arms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“In his testimony before the court one of the victims, Ajogbeje Ayodeji said, around 4 a.m, myself and two of my brothers were traveling from Erio Ekiti to Ido Ekiti, we saw a barricade on the road, when we were thinking of what happened, we saw the defendants armed with guns and cutlasses, they pointed their guns at us and ordered us to lay face down, they collected the car key, my laptop and our phones, they entered the car and drove away.
” I reported the case at Aramoko Police Station and later at Rapid Response Squard of the Nigerian Police Force in Ado Ekiti. I later received a call that the armied robbers have been arrested in Ibadan.” he concluded.
To proof his case, the prosecutor called five witnesses and tendered defendants’ statements, one locally made single barrel, one locally made double barrel, six live catridges among others as exhibits.
While counsels to the defendants , Mr Adeyinka Opaleke and Ezekiel Agunbiade had no witness to call, urged court to tamper justice with mercy.
In his judgement, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi said,” in the present case, I uphold the submission of the prosecution that there are sufficient facts from which common intention can be inferred through which defendants can be convicted and sentenced for conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
” On the whole, the defendants are found guilty as charged. Consequently, on count I,(Conspiracy) the defendants are sentenced to ten years imprisonment each and on count 2 (Armed robbery) the defendants are to be hanged by the neck till they are dead, may God have mercy on your souls, justice Ogunyemi pronounced.”.
