The Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday sentenced one Owoeye Ojo to death by hanging for attempted murder and armed robbery.
Ojo was arraigned on a four-count charge of attempted murder and armed robbery on August 25, 2023.
The prosecution told the court that the defendant with others, while armed with guns, axes and cutlasses, robbed and attempted to murder one Funmilayo Adeyemi and Omolola Adesola in the state capital.
They robbed Adeyemi of her handbag containing money and a handset valued at N85,000.
The defendant and his group robbed Adesola of her laptop, phones and cash sum of N 10, 000 at Ilokun, Ado Ekiti, on May 12, 2023.
The offences contravened sections 314, 312(2) (b), 241 and 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.
In her testimony before the court, Adesola Omolola said: “I was in my house around 8:00 p.m., I was about going to bed, but one of my sons was outside.
”I was trying to lock the door from behind, and realised that there was a push from outside. I opened the door to know why the door was not closed; I saw the defendant and others holding guns, cutlasses, and axes.
“I was ordered to lie face down; they ordered my eldest son to lead them inside the room where they carted away my valuables and cash sum worth 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.”
To prove her case, the prosecutor, Florence Ajumobi, called four witnesses and tendered one single-barrel gun, live cartridges, a statement of the defendant, and pictures of the victims among others as exhibits, while the defence counsel, Mr. Lawrence Fasanmi, called no witnesses.
In his judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said: “With the believable evidence before the court, the prosecution has 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.
“The prosecution had therefore proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offences as charged.
“Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging, may God have mercy upon his soul, the judge pronounced.”
© Ripples Nigeria