Court Sentences 2 To Death For Robbery, Conspiracy

Two men, Owolabi Deji (30) and Opeyemi Oluwakomolafe (22) have been sentenced to death by hanging by an Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti for conspiracy and robbery.

The court also sentenced the duo to life and seven years imprisonment for rape and escape from lawful custody at Ado Ekiti Prison on December 1, 2014.

The convicts were first arraigned before the court headed by Justice Monisola Abodunde on 13th January, 2017, for committing offences.

The charge reads: that, the defendants on 14th day of July, 2015 at Oketa Area of Iluomoba Ekiti in Gbonyin LGA of Ekiti State, did conspire to commit armed robbery on Lucas Agboola and Oladele Oseyemi as well as Adeyemi Comfort on same day at Araromi Street, Aisegba Ekiti, while armed with cutlass and gun.

The defendants also raped a 35-year-old woman on same date, time and place and escaped from lawful custody at Ado Ekiti Prison on 1st day of December, 2014.

One of the victims in a statement to the police, said, “I was sleeping in my room around 3:00 a.m., suddenly, two armed men emerged in my bedroom, they cautioned me to cooperate, if I don’t want to lose my life. They robbed me of a sum of N40, 000, N2, 000 belonging to my wife and collected our phones and also raped my wife. I later got to know that they gained access to my room through the ceiling. We reported the matter at the Police Station and were later arrested,” he said.

A prosecutor, Mr Ilesanmi Adelusi called five witnesses and tendered a dane gun, ten handsets, one rechargeable torchlight, four handset batteries, N21, 060 cash, recharge cards, machete and statements of the defendants as exhibits to prove  his case.