Ekiti Court Sentences Two to Death by Hanging for Armed Robbery

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced two men to death by hanging for armed robbery.

The convicts, Ojo Olasunkanmi (31) and Obamoyegun Dele (31), were found guilty on multiple counts of conspiracy and armed robbery. They were initially arraigned on January 31, 2020, alongside a third defendant, Adewale David, who died during the trial.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on August 11, 2018, at Oganganmodu, off Igbole Road in Ido Ekiti, where the defendants, armed with guns and axes, attacked residents and dispossessed them of valuables including mobile phones, cash, a DVD player, and a Toyota Sienna bus.

One of the victims, Bosede Ojo, told the court that the attackers struck around 1am, posing as officials of the NDLEA to gain entry before scaling the fence and breaking into the building.

“We reported the incident at the police station the following day,” she testified.
The prosecution counsel, O.B. Ayeleso, presented nine witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including weapons, SIM cards, mobile phones, the stolen vehicle, and photographs.

The defendants, represented by their lawyers, did not call any witnesses in their defence.

In his judgment, Justice Bamidele Omotoso held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendants on all counts.

“For conspiracy and armed robbery, the sentence of this court is that the defendants… be hanged by the neck until they are dead. May God have mercy upon your souls,” the judge ruled.