Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
An Ado Ekiti High Court has sentenced two men, Ariyo Ayodeji (22) and
Ayodele Oluwakayode (20), to death for armed robbery.
The convicts were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State and Section 402(2) of the same law.
In his judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye sentenced the two accused
persons to five years imprisonment on each count of conspiracy and death by hanging on the charge of armed robbery.
Justice Ogunmoye ruled: “On conspiracy, the two accused persons are sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count of conspiracy.
“On the charge of armed robbery, the two defendants are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your souls.â€
The convicts robbed Mrs Stella Faniyi of her hand bag at about 5.00 am on 1st March, 2016 at Plot 18 in Oke Osun area of Ikere-Ekiti, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
The two convicts on 18th March, 2016 also robbed one Mrs. Bunmi Arije at 11 Avenue Federal Housing Estate along Afao Road, Ado-Ekiti at about 8.00 pm while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
They dispossessed Mrs. Arije of one Blackberry phone, one Samsung phone, one ATM card, a bunch of keys, a driver’s licence and a sum of N9,000.
Shortly after robbing Mrs. Arije, the convicts were arrested by a team
of policemen on patrol during a stop-and-search exercise.
The two accused persons had earlier been charged before an Ado-Ekiti
Magistrate’s Court before an advice came from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) that they be charged at the High Court for conspiracy and armed robbery.
They were first arraigned at the High Court on 16th February, 2017 with the charges read to them. They pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel, Mrs. Olukemi Daniel-Ojo, called four witnesses
and tendered exhibits including the statement of the accused, weapons
and stolen items recovered from them.
