A 49-year-old man, Akinola Ademola has been sentenced to death by hanging by an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti killing his older brother.
Akinola, who was first arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye in December, 2020 was also tried for armed robbery
The charge reads, “That Akinola Ademola, on 19th of November, 2019 at Usin Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did robbed one Akinola Tunde of his Bajaj Motorcycle with Registration number ADK 011 VC, at the time of the robbery, you were armed with offensive weapon, to wit; gun.
On same date, time and place did murder the victim, Akinola Tunde.
An eyewitness, Ogunnusi Anike, who testified before the court said, myself and the deceased were in the farm, going on a footpath, the deceased was riding his Bajaj motorcycle while I was trekking because the footpath was very rough, suddenly, I saw somebody inside bush pointing gun at the deceased, I shouted, “Tunde, Tunde, run, run, somebody is pointing gun at you”, then I took to my heels, while running, I heard sound of a gunshot, I later saw a passerby on the road, when I explained what happened to him, he accompanied me back to the scene, on getting there, we met the deceased face down in the pool of his own blood, his motorcycle has been taken away by unknown person.
Another witness testified that the deceased and his younger brother once had an altercation on management of their fathers’ farm properties, during a Police investigation, the deceased motorcycle was found in his younger brother’s possession, he had changed the number plate but the discovery was made through the motorcycles’ documents.
The offences, the prosecution said contravened section 402 (2) and 319(1) of Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.
In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said, the ingredients of the offences of armed robbery and murder had been established against the defendant, thus, implying that the charge of armed robbery and murder had been proved beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant.
In all, the prosecution had succeeded in convincing the court to resolve the sole issue for determination in his favor and I do so.
The defendant is accordingly convicted as charged for the offences of armed robbery and murder.
The defendant is sentenced to death by hanging in count one (Armed Robbery) and count two (Murder) until he be dead, may the Lord have mercy on your soul.
