Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
A High Court sitting in Isanlu in Yagba East Local Government of Kogi State has sentenced a 38-year-old man, Mr. Babtunde Adura, to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of armed robbery and criminal conspiracy.
Babatunde was standing trial along with two others in 2020 for armed robbery and criminal conspiracy while co-accused persons had earlier escaped from the prison during the 2021 Kabba jail break, which occurred in December last year.
The court, however, held him responsible for the offence committed under the Penal Code of Kogi State.
While delivering his judgment, the Trial Judge, Justice Abubakar Suleiman Ibrahim, found him guilty of the offences after he confessed to the sale of items carted away during the robbery incidence that occurred in August 2020 at Olukere-Amuro in Mopa-Moro Local Government Area.
Babatunde and others at large were said to have broken into many houses and dispossessed their victims of their valuables including handsets.
He also admitted committing the offences, when his extra judicial statement to the police was tendered in evidence, the Counsel to the Convict’s, Mr. Segun Senibi, did not oppose same.
The Prosecuting Counsel, J. J. Ifepariola, was also able to convince the court of Babatunde involvement in the crime.
The witnesses had told the court during the trial of the case that the involvement, while the defendant’s evidence in his confessional statement pointed to the fact of his culpability.
Babatunde and his co-conspirators were armed with locally made pistol, which he confessed to have stolen too, and committed the offence in the said area.
He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the court with no option of fine.
