The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday sentenced two men to death by hanging for armed robbery.

The defendants, Olusegun Folorunso, 53, and Ajayi Dele, 51, were arraigned before Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi on a three-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Kunle-Shina Adeyemi, told the court that the defendants committed the crime on August 24, 2022, along Erio-Ekiti.

He said the defendants, armed with guns and cutlasses, robbed one Ajogbeje Ayodeji of his ash-coloured Hyundai Sonata, phone, and laptop.

He told the court, “On the same day, they also robbed Oluwasegun Oke of his phone.”

He said the charge contravened Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Testifying before the court, Mr Ayodeji said, “Around 4:00 a.m., my two brothers and I were travelling from Erio-Ekiti to Ido-Ekiti when we saw a barricade on the road.

“As we tried to figure out what was happening, the defendants, armed with guns and cutlasses, appeared and pointed their guns at us, ordering us to lie face down.

“They took my car key, laptop, and our phones before driving away in my car. I reported the case at the Aramoko Police Station and later at the Rapid Response Squad in Ado-Ekiti. A few days later, I received a call that the armed robbers had been arrested in Ibadan.”

To prove the case, the prosecution called five witnesses and presented several exhibits, including the defendants’ statements,

The other exhibits were one locally made single-barrel gun, one locally made double-barrel gun, and six live cartridges.

The defence counsels, Adeyinka Opaleke and Ezekiel Agunbiade, did not call any witnesses but pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Delivering judgement, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi found them guilty of the charge.

Mr Ogunyemi ruled, “In this case, I uphold the prosecution’s argument that there is sufficient evidence to infer a common intention between the defendants, warranting their conviction for conspiracy to commit armed robbery. On count one (conspiracy), the defendants are each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. On count two (armed robbery), the defendants are to be hanged by the neck until they are dead. May God have mercy on your souls.’’

(NAN)