An Ado-Ekiti High Court has sentenced four men, Babangida Amodu, 25, Oluwafemi Ibrahim, 20, Ojo Ayodele, 25, and Okunato Dada, 20, convicted of armed robbery and murder, to die by hanging.
The four men, who were arraigned on October 4, 2018, on charges of conspiracy, armed robbery and murder, had pleaded not guilty, but the court ordered their remand in custody
Delivering judgment, Justice John Adeyeye said, ‘’It is obvious that the defendants acted in concert as they all agreed to rob Ibrahim Isiaka and Mohammed Sanusi, who died as a result of the injury inflicted on him during the robbery.
“In conclusion, the prosecution has successfully proved the three counts of conspiracy to rob, armed robbery and murder preferred against them and they are each convicted accordingly in respect of each of the offences.
“Each of the defendants is cautioned and discharged in count one (conspiracy), and sentenced to death by hanging until they be dead on count two (Armed Robbery) and count three (Murder).
“May the Lord have mercy on your souls,’’ the Judge pronounced.
According to the charge, the four convicts on June 7, 2018, at Ijoka Area of Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of the court, conspired and robbed one Ibrahim Isiaka of his phone and N1500 while armed with guns and knives.
The charge sheet further said that on the same day, date and aforementioned place, the convicts’ murdered one Muhammed Sanusi.
The offences, Mr Felix Awoniyi, the prosecuting counsel said, contravened sections 516, 402 (2) and 316 of the Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.
Awoniyi during the trial called five witnesses and tendered statements of the four convicts and medical report as exhibits.
Ibrahim Isiaka, a prosecution witness, who was led in evidence by Awoniyi, recalled that he and the deceased were going to buy food and charge their phones near the mosque at Ijoka, at 7:45pm, when the defendants attacked them.
“We were approaching the charging center, some hoodlums just appeared and stopped us, they demanded for our phones and money.
“We declined their requests and they dragged me and collected my Techno phone valued N7,500 and cash sum of N1,500.
“When they started beating Sanusi, I ran away to call our people, but before we got there, they had left.
“We met the deceased in a pool of blood; having been stabbed on the neck.
“I recognised the faces of the defendants during the act and the case was later reported at the Police station, he said.
The defence team, comprised of Messrs Adeyinka Opaleke, Ekiti State Coordinator of the Legal Aid Council; O. Abiola and A. Ayobioloja, called no witness.
