Court Sentences 5 To Death For Murder, Robbery In Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced five persons to death by hanging for murder and armed robbery.

The court presided over by Justice Olalekan Olatawura also sentenced the defendants to 21 years imprisonment for the offence of conspiracy.

The convicts include Ojo Tope, Damilola Christopher, Joshua Adegoke, Aderopo Temitope and Oyedele Oluwatobi.

Prosecution said the defendants committed the offences on 18th August, 2021 at Agogo Street, llupeju Avenue, Odo-Ado, Ado-Ekiti where they robbed the trio of Ajiboye Olajide, Lateef Temidayo Busari and Akeem lsiaka of their money, laptop computers, mobile phones and other valuables.

In the process, the convicts also killed a street night guard, named Joseph Blessing.

They were thereafter arrested and charged to court with the offences bordering on conspiracy, murder and armed robbery contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.C16, Laws of Ekiti State,2012, Section 319 of the same Law & Section 1 (2)( a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Having found the defendants guilty, the court then convicted and sentenced them to death by hanging and imprisonment for 21 years respectively on all the 4 counts.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Julius Ajibare who prosecuted the case on behalf of Ekiti State called four witnesses and tendered 13 exhibits to prove his case before the trial Judge.

Adeyinka Opaleke who represented the defendants and each of them gave evidence without calling additional witnesses.

After a thoroughly evaluation of the evidence, the Court held that the prosecution proved the two counts of armed robbery, murder and conspiracy against the five defendants beyond reasonable doubts and consequently convicted them accordingly.