An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, state capital has sentenced four men to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery.
The quartet of Ojo Tope (37), Aderopo Temitope (37), Oyedele Oluwatobi (27) and Damilola Christopher (30) were arraigned before Justice Lekan Olatawura on April 16, 2024 on five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery alongside one Ekundayo Ajiboye (29).
While the first four persons were sentenced to death by the court, Ajiboye was discharged and acquitted for want of evidence against him.
According to the charge, the convicts on 3rd of August, 2021 at Ilutitun Street, along Dammy Guest House, Ikere Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court, did conspire to rob Taye Adegboye, Idowu Damilola, Idowu Tolulope and Ganiyu Abimbola of their belongings.
The belongings which include laptops, phones, power bank and charger; jewelries, sound system, cash sum of N136,000, among others, were conspired to be stolen by the convicts who were armed with guns at the time of the robbery.
One of the victims, Idowu Oluwadamilola, in his statement to the police said, “I was sleeping in my room around 12 midnight, I was hearing that some people were forcing their way into my room. I climbed and hid in the ceiling, when they entered, they told my brother that we were two in the room, they threatened to shoot him if he refused to produce me.
“Immediately, I came down from the ceiling, I was beaten seriously for daring them, thereafter, they collected our laptop computers, phones, power bank and chargers, all the money in the house, MP3 radio and other things I cannot remember. I, alongside other victims went to report at Ilupeju Police Station the following day.
“In February 2022, I was in my house when I saw the defendants who led team of policemen to my house already confessed to have robbed me in the previous year”.
The prosecutor, Oluwaseun Olasanmi called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements as exhibits to proof his case.
The defendants who called no witness spoke through their counsel, Adeyinka Opaleke and others.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Lekan Olatawura said that all the 1st to 4th defendants confessed individually to have conspired to committing armed robbery at the property occupied by the victims.
“In all, I find that the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the 1st to 4th defendants committed the offences, and in consequence thereof, the sentence of this court is that you, Ojo Tope, Aderopo Temitope, Oyedele Oluwatobi and Damilola Christopher be hanged by the neck until they be dead, may God have mercy on your souls,” the court ruled.
The court however acquitted the 5th defendant, Ajiboye for want of proof. “I found no iota of evidence linking the 5th defendant to the commission of any of the offences as charged, accordingly, Ekundayo Ajiboye is hereby discharged and acquitted,” the judge ruled.
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