The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Monday sentenced four men to death by hanging for armed robbery in the state.
The convicts – Ojo Ajayi, Matthew Osalade, Adebisi Ogundare, and Busayo Adeniyi – were arraigned by the police on August 24, 2020, on a seven-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, attempted murder and cultism.
The prosecutor told the court the offence contravened Sections 516, 402(2) and 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012 and Section 4(1) of the Secret Cults (Abolition and Prohibition) First Amendment Law, No. 6, 2017.
According to the police, the convicts conspired to rob the trio of Mary Ezeaku, Joshua Ige and Hassan Abdulmalik at the Odo-Ado Area of Ado Ekiti pm January 1, 2019.
The defendants who were members of Eiye Confraternity also attempted to murder one Olajide Babatunde while armed with guns, axe and knives.
They later dispossessed the victims of their belongings, including phones, necklaces, wristwatches and a cash sum of N30,500, among others.
Ige, who testified before the court, said: “We were coming from a show in Ekute quarters of Ado Ekiti at about 4:00 a.m. on that day and we boarded a motorcycle to Odo-Ado area.
“As we were approaching Odo-Ado, the motorcyclist suddenly stopped at a lonely place.
“Before we knew what was happening,some boys had come out of their hiding and pointed guns at us. Some of them held axe and knives with which they robbed us of our phones, necklace, wristwatch and other valuables.
“The matter was reported at the police station before they were later arrested.”
The prosecution counsel, Albert Adeyemi, called six witnesses and tendered the defendants’ statements, one locally-made pistol, one live ammunition, two axes, two cutlasses and 12 handsets, among others as exhibits.
The defendants spoke in their own defence through their counsel, Adeyinka Opaleke, of Ekiti State Coordinator of Legal Aid Council.
In his judgment, Justice Bamidele Omotoso said: “I resolve the sole issue for determination in this case partially in favour of the prosecutor and against the defendants.
“They are found guilty of the offences of conspiracy, armed robbery and attempted murder.
“The punishment for armed robbery is death. The sentence of this court upon the defendants is that they be hanged by the neck until they be dead. May God have mercy on your souls.”
Omotoso also sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment for attempted murder and seven years imprisonment each for conspiracy.
