Two ex-convicts to die by hanging for armed robbery

An Abeokuta High Court, on Tuesday, sentenced two ex-convicts to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery.

At their trial, Lekan Akinola, 40, and Dare Sowunmi, 27, had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery levelled against them.

However, delivering her judgment, Ayokunle Rotimi-Balogun, the judge, said the court was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the ex-convicts were guilty as charged.

Mrs Rotimi-Balogun held that all evidence presented by the prosecution was admissible and the punishment for the offence of armed robbery was death.
She consequently convicted the two men of the offences and sentenced them to death by hanging.

“Having found that you are guilty as charged you shall be hung by your neck until you are dead, May God have mercy on you,” Mrs Rotimi Balogun said.

Earlier, the Senior State Prosecution Counsel, Oluwabunmi Akinola, had told the court that the convicts committed the offences on Jan. 27, 2019, at 1:55a.m., at No. 32, Legislative Quarters, Ibara in Abeokuta.

Ms Akinola said the convicts ,while armed with dangerous weapons like gun and cutlass, entered into the apartment of one Derin Adebiyi and robbed him of his money and other valuables.

She further explained that the convicts robbed the complainant of N2.5million, six wristwatches, five gold necklaces, three phones, a solar charger and one Toyota Camry key, valued not stated.

The prosecution counsel also informed the court that the two defendants were ex-convicts and were both released from prison in 2018 during a jail delivery.

The prosecution counsel said that the offences contravened Section 21(b) and 16(1)( a) of the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions) Act, Cap Rll, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.