Man, 51, To Die By Hanging For Attempted Murder, Robbery

An Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti, has sentenced one Owoeye Rotimi Ojo to death by hanging for attempted murder and armed robbery.

Ojo, 51, was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on 25/8/23, on four count charges bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder and armed robbery.

The defendants and others at large, according to the charge on 21st of May, 2023 at Oluwole Orungbe Street in Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire to commit armed robbery and attempt to murder one Adeyemi Funmilayo and Adesola Omolola.

The charge reads: the defendant and others at large robbed the victim of her handbag containing an unspecified sum of money, a handset valued at N85,000. Also on 12/5/23 at Ilokun in Ado Ekiti, the defendant and others at large did rob Adesola Omolola of her laptop, phones, flash drives, and a cash sum of N10,000 among others, as at the time of the robbery, they were armed with guns, cutlasses and axes.

The offences are contrary to sections 314, 312(2) (b), 241 and 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

One of the victims, Adesola Omolola, in his testimony before the court said, “I was in my house around 8:00 pm, I was about going to bed but one of my sons was outside, I was trying to lock the door from behind, I discovered there was a push outside, I opened the door to know why the door was not closed, I saw the defendant and others holding guns, cutlasses, and axe, I was ordered to lay face down, they ordered my eldest son to lead them inside the room where they carted away my valuables and cash sum worth of N710,000.

“After they left, I reported the matter at Oke Ila police station. A week later, I heard some armed robbers had been arrested in the neighbourhood. When I visited them at the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police Force (RRS) office, I saw and identified the defendant as one of the robbers who robbed my house. She concluded.

The prosecutor, O.F. Ajumobi, called four witnesses and tendered one single-barrel gun, live cartridges, a statement of the defendant, pictures of the victims, among others, as exhibits to prove his case.

The defendant, who spoke in his defence through his counsel Lawrence Fasanmi, called no witnesses.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said, “With the believable evidence before the court, the prosecution had established that there was robbery in the premises of the victims, the defendant was one of those who took part in the armed robbery, and there was an agreement between him and others.

“Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging, may God have mercy upon his soul, the judge pronounced.