An Abeokuta High Court on Thursday sentenced three men to death by hanging for armed robbery, conspiracy and rape.
A fourth accused, Oguntolu Oludare, got 10 years imprisonment for receiving stolen goods.
The judge, Adetokunbo Majekodumi, sentenced Abdulrasak Moshood, Sakiru Osunmuyiwa and Azeez Olonade to death.
Delivering judgment, Mr. Majekodumi said the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt the accused committed the offences.
“Having found that the accused persons are guilty as charged, the first, second and third accused shall be hung by the neck until they are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.
“The fourth accused person, Oguntolu Oludare, is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for conspiracy and receiving stolen goods,” Majekodumi said.
Messrs. Moshood , Osunmuyiwa and Olonade were charged for robbing one Mr. and Mrs. Kehinde Martins-Thomas.
The convicts were also charged with raping the couple’s daughter.
The convicts, according to the prosecution, committed the offences on February 5, 2012 at about 1.00 a.m. at plot 8-10 Martins-Thomas Crescent, GRA Extension, Ojere in Abeokuta at a gunpoint and with other offensive weapons.
The prosecution said the convicts gained access into the house of Martins-Thomas through the window by cutting the burglary proof.
The prosecution said the convict tied Martins-Thomas, his wife up and hit Martins-Thomas with a gun before shoving him into a bathroom.
The prosecution said the convicts ransacked the house and stole N160,000, a laptop, DVD player, camcorder, mobile phones, wedding ring, and other valuables.
The court was told that the convicts were later apprehended by the police, adding that during police investigation, the stolen items were found in Mr. Moshood’s home.
The prosecution said the offences contravened Section 5 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap ll, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The prosecution said the offences contravened Section 357 and 358 of the Criminal Code, laws of Ogun 2006.
The convicts, who had been standing trial since 2012, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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