After about one year adjournment, the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin headed by Justice Halimat Salman resumed hearing in the April 5, 2018 Offa bank armed robbery case.
Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham are standing trial in the case which began on November 11, 2018.
LEADERSHIP recalls that on April 5, 2018, some suspected armed robbers attacked five commercial banks in Offa town in the Offa local government area of Kwara State, allegedly killing over 30 persons in the process, including nine policemen.
The accused were charged to court by the police for criminal conspiracy to rob the banks, murder of nine policemen and other citizens, and illegal possession of firearms. They pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, the fifth defendant, Niyi Ogundiran, who is the ninth witness, was examined and cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mathias Emeribe and prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob respectively.
After the court’s sitting, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob told newsmen that the prosecution counsel had closed its case, while the defence team were calling their own witnesses to give evidence.
He said that the hearing would run for three days, starting Tuesday till Thursday after which adoption of the address by the two sides would be taken by the court.
Answering questions on the rather long time the case had taken so far, the prosecution counsel said that it’s not the fault of the court nor any party.
